


Tale as Old as Time

by ImTheGirlofManyFandoms



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Dancing, F/M, Falling In Love, Healing, Lots of Books, M/M, Magic, Major Character Injury, Slow Romance, Wingmen and wingwomen, a change of heart, age differences not in relationship but more like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-24 04:23:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 23,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14947512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImTheGirlofManyFandoms/pseuds/ImTheGirlofManyFandoms
Summary: Tale as old as timeSong as old as rhymeBeauty and the Beast





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Author G here! Please don't forget to comment and kudos! You guys are the ones who fuel me to keep going. I want to know if you guys want to read this.

Once upon a time, in a far away land, a young king lived in a shining castle. King Evgeni had inherited the throne at only 18 once his father had passed. Evgeni being the only heir, he was set to rule.

Although he had all his heart desired, the young king was spoiled. He had grown to be selfish and unkind to nearly all who crossed his path.

Then one night, a visitor came knocking on the castle door. The king opened it to find a old beggar woman standing there, her ragged clothes drenched in the water from the rain.

She offered the king a single red rose in exchange for shelter from the storm for the night.

The young king laughed and turned her away, refusing the offer due to her withered appearance.

However, the elder woman persisted and asked again, warning him to not be deceived by her appearance as there was more to an individual than what may be seen on the outside and that true beauty may only be found within one’s heart.

The king scoffed and ignored her once more, dismissing her again and leaving her to the cold of the night.

Suddenly, the old woman’s wrinkled appearance melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress in flowing robes.

The king paled and tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in Evgeni’s heart and no kindness left in his soul.

As punishment, she placed a powerful curse upon the castle and all within. For those inside the kingdom’s borders, they ceased to remember that there ever was a king or palace to exist.

The castle was bathed in an eternal winter. All those within its walls became objects of their craft or admiration. As for the King, the enchantress turned to him and used her magic to transform him into a hideous beast as a reflection of what she had seen inside.

Repulsed of his new form, the King locked himself away within his castle with an enchanted mirror as his lone window into the outside world.

The rose the enchantress had offered was truly magic, for it would bloom until his twentieth year. Then it would begin to wilt and fall away, petal by petal until his twenty-first began. The enchantress told the king that, if he could not learn to love a person and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, he would remain a beast forever. However, if he succeeded, the curse would be broken and all would return to as it was before.

As time passed, the King began to lose hope, falling into a deep despair that consumed him and all others in the castle, for who could ever learn to love a beast?


	2. Tale as Old as Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Much thanks to my friends who helped me in making decisions for this writing which took me actually forever to get done because I had to also maintain my grades (I'm a freshman in uni) and general writer's block. Thank you so much to everyone's patience while I wrote. Please comment to tell me how you feel and everything. I hope you enjoy! We still have an epilogue too!

Sidney awoke that morning same as always, with the crow of the rooster at dawn. The young man arose and stretched the sleep away from his muscles.

The cottage was quiet that morning, much like any other. Mr. Lemieux must have already left for his workshop on the outskirts of the property before dawn, if not stayed overnight again.

“Another dawn. Another day…” he yawned. He got up and went to bathe, pouring water from a heated pot into a wooden tub. He cleaned himself and got dressed in his simple blue pants and vest and a white shirt. He hummed and put on his stockings and leather boots before making himself breakfast- a couple slices of bread and jam. It was just a day like any other before he had to go into town.

Mr. and Mrs. Crosby had raised Sidney to be kind and sensible. Not only that, they had taught the boy how to read and write. By the time he was 12, he could read and write better than everyone in their village. However, tragedy struck soon. Sidney’s parents fell ill when he was 13 and passed away soon after, leaving him in the care of Mr. Lemieux. Mr. Lemieux raised Sidney as his own and continued his teachings, watching him blossom into a bright young man.

The townsfolk found Sidney… odd. To say he was an outsider was the very least one could say. While the other boys in the village were focused on finding a spouse and having a family, Sidney spent his time at the little library in the village which only occasionally received new books from the capital. Today was the first Sunday, meaning a new crate of books was arriving. Sidney had promised Mr. Howe that he would help them unpack the new arrivals and return the books he had previously borrowed. He was always favored by him and his wife.

Sidney took the money Mr. Lemieux had left on the table for him to go shopping in the market and the books before leaving for the village once more.

The village was just starting to wake up and get to work by the time Sidney had arrived. He went along the routine in his head as he passed by the shops

‘Mr. Blake will come out the door with his fresh rolls in three… two… one.”

Like clockwork, Mr. Blake came through the front door of the bakery with a tray of fresh rolls and breads and a smile on his face.

“Good morning, Mr. Blake.”

The baker looked over. “Ah, good morning Sidney. Any breads?”

Sidney nodded and asked for a few rolls and a loaf, buying them for a couple coins, placing the goods in his basket. “Thank you.”

“Any time.” he said. “Where are you off to now?”

Sidney smiled. “The library. I have a few books to return. And I-”

The baker brushed him off. “That’s nice, Sidney. Now go.”

Sidney sighed and went on his way down the street, stopping every here and there to purchase the groceries on the way to the library. Eggs, apples, cheese, thread, cabbage, thyme, garlic, onions, rosemary, and carrots placed gently within his basket before reaching the library.

Sidney smiled as the little bell tinkled over his head as he opened the door. Warm morning sunlight came in through the windows and the smell of books filled the air. “Mr. Howe? Are you here?”

The elder man peered from around the corner and smiled warmly. “Ah Sidney! There you are! You’re just in time! Come see!”

Sidney grinned and followed him after setting his basket on a table to find the new crate of books.

“It just got in a few minutes ago. Help me get it open, will you?”

Sidney grinned and grabbed the hammer and a pick. He dug the tip of the pick under the nails one by one as Mr. Howe helped lift them out and pull up the lid. Soon enough, they got the box open, revealing the new books, protected by a soft layer of wool.

“Look at these beauties…”

Sidney marveled at the new books and pulled them out one by one, reading the titled on the bound spines aloud. He could feel himself growing more and more excited as he read the names.

Mr. Howe grinned as he finished. “I think this sounds like the best crate yet. What do you say?”

“I can’t help but agree.”

Sidney spent a little while longer in the library, browsing through the new books before choosing a few to bring home to keep occupied with.

“Thank you again, Mr. Howe… You really do make this little corner of the world feel bigger.”

He smiled and nodded, sending the young man on his way back.

Sidney wandered the cobblestone streets, nose stuck in one of the new books as he did so to make his way back when he ran into a very solid figure.

“Ah, Sidney. I was hoping to see you here again today…”

Sidney mentally groaned at the voice. He tried to move around the figure, but ended up getting blocked every way he could. “Not today, Alexander. Please.”

Alexander was a young man, about 2 years older than he was. Sidney wasn’t exactly sure where Alexander came from. No one was. Yes, he knew he was from the east, given his accent, but he had no idea how he had arrived in their small neck of the woods. He seemed to just appear one day years ago and latch on to Sidney. To say his attempts in romancing and courting Sidney as well as making Sidney his husband were far fetched would be saying the least. He had tried multiple times using flowers and sweet bread from the baker and florist, bragging about his latest hunting kills, his wealth, even near force to try to get him to accept a proposal or courtship offer. He even enlisted the help of his friend Evgeny to try to persuade Sidney as Evgeny was a lot easier to get along with and patient.

“Oh Sidney, you tease me so.” he said, using his hand to lift Sidney’s head from the book. “Come on now. Get your head out of those books. They’re no good for you.”

“What I do is not up to you, Alexander.” the brunet said, rolling his eyes. “Now, I must get back. Mr. Lemieux is likely waiting. Anyways, where is Evgeny? He usually follows you doesn't he?”

“He is off taking care of my horse. And as for you, I have a question.”

Sidney sighed. “And what might that be?”

Alexander smiled coyly. “Why, I was merely wondering if I could come around for dinner. That’s all. After all, I should get to know my future father-in-law better, shouldn’t I?”

Sidney scoffed and maneuvered his way around the hunter. The nerve this time! “Alexander, please. I don’t think you understand me when I say no anymore. Maybe you should just… stay away.”

He still persisted. “Oh come on now, Sidney. Please-”

Sidney hurried off before he could continue, leaving Alexander behind and going down the path that led back to the cottage. He swore that every time he saw Alexander, he got worse and more desperate in his attempts on wooing Sidney.

Sidney walked up to the cottage and noticed the smoke coming from the chimney. He grinned and hurried back inside. “Mr. Lemieux?”

Mr Lemieux looked up from the table where he was tuning a new work, smiling softly with his half-moon spectacles on. “Ah Sidney. There you are. I was beginning to worry.”

The young man smiled, placing the bag on the other end of the table. “Like how I do so often about you? You were out at the workshop all night again. I was worried, you know. You need your rest for the journey.”

“I know I do. I know. I slept, don’t worry.” he insisted. “So, anything new at the market today?”

“Is there ever?” he asked bluntly. “Though there were new books at the library though! I helped Mr. Howe unpack them.”

“Is that why you took so long?”

“Well, partially.”

Mr. Lemieux chuckled to himself. “I assume the other part to the partially would be Alexander.”

Sidney groaned. “Sadly. You wouldn’t believe what he said to me today!”

“Go ahead.”

Sidney sat at the chair next to him. “He flat out told me that he wished to come to dinner tonight. His reasoning? To “get to know his future father-in-law.” The nerve of that man!”

Mr. Lemieux looked up, albeit surprised at the forward statement. “He said that? Did he really?”

The young man nodded. “And he was serious… I wish he would just leave me alone. God, that boorish oaf!”

“In time, Sidney. Don’t worry.” he noted. “Besides, I’m leaving for the market in the city in about an hour anyways. I won’t be here for dinner.”

“Yes, well, he doesn’t know that. I doubt there really is much he does know…” Sidney sat silently for a moment. “Mr. Lemieux?”

“Yes?”

“Do you ever think I’ll really find love?” he asked. “Someone who will actually love me for me? Respect me?”

Mr. Lemieux put his tool down and turned his attention to the lad. “Sidney. There is not a doubt in my mind that you will. But this town… There is no one who is truly right for you. Everyone here- as much as we may care for them or not- is so…”

“Dull?” Sidney chimed. “Unopen?”

He scrunched his face in a guilty way. “Well, I wouldn’t say that… They’re just not right for you. But I know for a fact you will find that perfect person someday.”

Sidney smiled softly. “Thank you, Mario. Need me to help you pack up the cart and bit Phillippe?”

“That would be lovely.”

Sidney nodded and went to do those things right away, taking Phillippe from the stable and soothing him before taking the bit and bridle from the pegs. He properly dressed the horse and helped lead him to Mario’s cart and hook him up.

“There we go.” he smiled. “Stay. I’ll be right back.”

It was hardly an hour later before Mario stepped up onto the cart and took the reins.

“Seems I should be going now.” he sighed. “Before I go, I have to ask. What would you like from the market?”

Sidney smiled. “A rose.”

Mario smiled back. “You ask for a rose every year.”

“And every year, you bring it.”

Mario hummed and gave the signal with the reins, letting Philippe pull the filled cart. “I’ll see you soon, alright? Take care. I’ll be back in a few days’ time.”

Sidney smiled and waved goodbye to him before heading back inside the house to start work on dinner and other chores.

Sidney did indeed ask for a single rose every year. He knew that- no matter how much Mario sold that year- he would always be able to buy one as they were inexpensive. They also brought back fond memories of his parents and when they were alive. His mother used to grow roses in the garden in front of their house. He remembers pricking his fingers often when attempting to grab one for her as a small child and her having to patch him up. When the rose was close to dying, he would take the flower and bury it in the outskirts of the garden and watch them grow. He had a few now living, almost ready to bloom this season with their bright colors. It was his little way of keeping their memories alive.

He sighed and got back to work on a stew, chopping potatoes and other vegetables until he heard a knock.

He put the knife down and went to the door, thinking it must be Mario who had forgotten something and turned back to get it. It’s happened before.

However, when he peered through the tiny glass window Mario had made in the door, he regretted ever putting down the knife.

He put on a fake smile and opened the door. “Alexander? To what do I owe the surprise?”

Alexander smiled and stood there with a parcel wrapped in paper. “Well, I was just at the butcher picking up the cuts of my latest kill. It was a big deer with a lot of good meat on his bones. I figured I should stop by and bring you some of the best cut. Would be very good to cook with.” He took a step inside and handed the meat to Sidney. “Only the best for you.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you, Alexander-“

“No need to thank me.” He smirked. “Well, actually. I know a way you could-“

“And this conversation is now over.” Sidney mumbled, hurrying Alexander back out he door. “Thank you Alexander-“

“Sidney, wait. Please.” He begged. “Please, come on. Hear me out…. Sidney, you know how the people in the town are. This is how it goes here. Marry young. Have a family. The family caretaker- me- and the housemaker- and I would hope that would be you. Little husband. Sidney, ever since I came into this town, I have felt as though something is missing. Then I find you and think “He is the most beautiful here.”. And I am the most handsome, yes? Would we not be wonderful? Beautiful life? Beautiful children? You would care for them. I’d be out and supporting you all. We would have many children. Dogs too. 6 or 7-”

“Dogs?”

Alexander laughed. “Oh Sidney no no. Strapping young boys. Just like me. As well as beautiful girls. Just think of it. Isn’t it wonderful? These are the things you should concern yourself with.”

Sidney was losing patience. “I am not concerned with anything besides my own-“

“Well Sidney, all you should be concerned with is us. And our future and children. Our future home. Please? Give me a chance. Then you'll maybe see that I am right.”

Sidney sighed. He’d had enough of this nonsense for a day. Possibly the week. Or a year. Or for good. “Goodbye Alexander.”

“Sid-“

Sidney shut and locked the door before he could finish, putting the wrapped meat on the table and watching through the window to make sure Alexander left. He poked outside again as the stew simmered in the pot.

“God, could you just imagine?” He sighed. “The house-husband of that…”

He groaned. “Mr. Sidney Ovechkin. Could anyone but him just see it? Sidney Ovechkin, his little housekeeping husband?... No. Not me. Never in a million lifetimes would I let that happen. Not even in his dreams… I want more than this. More than this provincial, day after day life we all have here. I wish they would all just understand that I want more than to just get by like they all do in patterns…. I want to live and live on my own terms.”

Sidney sighed and went back inside, capping off another day.

-

“Easy Phillippe.” Mario shushed. “Just relax. We’ll get there soon….”

The horse whinnied and moved along. Mario kept his hold on the reins and continued, looking at the path ahead.

“It’s getting pretty dark out now.” He sighed. “We have to continue on though. The market is the day after tomorrow. We’ll find an inn.”

He pulled the reins the way he remembered, leading the horse down for another couple miles. However, as they neared the next turn, a tree fell right in front of the horse, blocking the path. Philippe whinnied and bucked a bit before Mario leaned and calmed him down.

“Easy Phillippe. It’s okay. Easy, boy.” he whispered, petting the horse’s neck. “Relax, there has to-”

He stopped as he noticed another path. It was covered in ivy and led down, but still a clear path. He couldn’t remember seeing it.

“Was that there before? I’ve done this route for years…”

He looked to Phillippe. “I suppose now there’s really only one way, my friend. Maybe we will get directions back onto the main road. Come.”

He sat there for a minute to calm his nerves before opting for the lower path, carefully ducking so to not hit his head on a low branch.

As they progressed down the new path, Mario found that he was beginning to see his breath. He shivered.

“Cold?” he said. “It’s summer. It’s May. How is it so cold?”

The path ahead grew frosty, the ground and leaves around them grew whiter. Snow began to fall. Mario looked up with wide eyes.

“Snow… It’s the first week of May and yet…” He looked back to the horse. “Tell me, Philippe, have we both gone mad?”

He didn’t have much time to wonder about it until he heard a twig crack behind him. He perked up and paled. “Okay. Come on, Phillippe. Let’s keep going-”

He was cut off by a low growl. He turned his head slowly to see a figure on all fours coming towards the cart.

“Wolves.” he whispered, snapping the reins. “Go Phillippe!”

Phillippe immediately began to go faster down the bumpy path, hurrying to get away. Mario continued to look behind as notice the wolf was not alone. There was a whole pack now. He tried to maintain his composure and focused back on the road ahead.

Sometime on, Mario came to a point where even the wolves would no longer follow. He looked around as they exited the forest and came to a pair of intricate, frost-covered iron gates. He stared at them in awe and blinked in surprise as the gates appeared to open by themselves.

“I suppose this means we are welcome, Phillippe…” he said, going inside. He looked around as they passed trimmed hedges and shrubs, all bathed in snow. Even the flowers, which bloomed beautiful and bright, were coated in a thin layer of ice.

“What is this place?…” he wondered. “It’s incredible.”

He looked ahead and saw the snow-covered castle, towering over all near it. It was majestic, yet very frightening at the same time. Gargoyles lined the gutters, demonic sneers caught in stone. The windows were all lit with candles and light except for one wing. He continued up to the front door and stopped the cart.

“Stay here, Phillippe.” he whispered. “I’m going to go in and ask for help. Maybe a place to stay the night.”

He carefully stepped down off the cart and approached the front door. Before his knuckles even touched the wood, the massive doors slowly opened. Mario stepped back in awe before being lured in by the warmth inside.

The foyer was beautiful. Large and made of marble and stone for the most part. Intricate paintings in gold and silver frames hung on the walls, each likely worth a fortune given the care and time that likely went into making them. The warm glow of candles from the candelabras and chandelier above have it a more welcome glow. 

Mario stepped inside and removed his hat. “Hello? Is anybody there?”

He nearly jumped a foot in the air as he heard the great doors behind him shut. He turned quickly, only to find that not a soul was there but himself. 

Shaken, he asked again. “Hello? I hope I’m not disturbing you. Please, there are wolves outside and it’s very dark. This was the only way. The other was blocked by a fallen tree. Too big for my horse and cart to get over. I was hoping that you would let me stay the night. If not, at least help my find my way back onto the main road.”

Then came what sounded like whispers.

Mario whipped his head around in the direction the little noises came from, but saw no living being around. Only a pair of beautiful candelabras and a marvelous clock sitting on a table. He walked over, in awe at the detail.

“Such craftsmanship.” He marveled, gently touching the features. “How beautiful.”

He gently backed away from the table and moved on, looking around in every room to try to find the master or mistress of the grand castle if not someone who could lead him to them.

In the grand parlor, he found a set of plush armchairs and a roaring fire. He looked around and placed his hands near the fire, warming himself up after being out in the freezing cold.

“When I find who owns this place, I really must thank them.”

After a short while of getting warm, he left to walk around more. He came across a warm meal of soup, fresh bread, and other goods set at a table. He walked over and wondered. It was well past dinner time, but he still hadn’t yet touched the food Sidney packed for him at the cart as the journey was long. Even then it must be frozen by now.

“Thank you, whoever did this.” He said, sitting down and breaking a roll of bread in half, dipping it into his soup as he ate. He ate his fill and reached over to grab the cup of what looked to be tea. It had been so long since he had proper tea. It was much too expensive now. Even the richer people in town didn’t want to buy it anymore.

“Nothing like a warm cup of tea to help the senses.”

“Mama says the same thing.” A small voice chimed in.

Mario nearly dropped the little cup at the sudden noise. That sounded like a person’s voice. A child. Perhaps a little boy.

“Hello?” He asked. “Little one? I heard you. It’s okay. Don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you. I promise… Where are you?”

He heard a giggle and looked around. Where on earth could that be coming from? There was no one in his sight. He put his empty cup down softly and saw his small cup move across the table to the pot. He jumped out of his seat. Something bad was here if that happened.

Mario gulped down. “Well… uh… I should… I should be off!”

He took off faster than he ever thought he could at his age back down the hall out of the dining room and through the castle before exiting the way he came. He hopped back onto the cart and motioned for Phillippe to go now. He had to leave now. Even if it meant going back to town and missing the market.

On his way through the garden he noticed something in color.

Roses.

He felt awful. Even if he missed the market, he wanted to bring Sidney what he promised. He was a good young man. The very least he deserved was to get a rose.

He ordered Phillippe to halt and got off once the horse obeyed. He grabbed the small blade he kept from its home in his belt and inched towards the rose bush. They looked just like the ones Trina used to grow.

He carefully used the blade and maneuvered his fingers around the frozen, thorny stem of the rose and the ones around it. Once he finally cut it free, he sighed in relief.

“I need to go back to town. Now-“

He heard a large thud behind him and hot, heavy breath on his neck. He noticed the vast shadow that had just overcome him and the bush. Mario gulped and trembled in fear as he turned to come face to torso with a hideous, monstrous beast.

He screamed and dropped the blade and rose as the Beast let out a thundering roar.

Then everything went dark.

-

Sidney hummed and kept to himself that morning. No sign of Alexander yet. Not even when he went to the market in the village. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not though. Sometimes Alexander would come knocking first thing in the morning just to get it over with for the day with about a 50-50 chance of him returning later. Other times he would plan the whole day before showing up later with a gift of some sort or an invitation to a party in the village: something Sidney has never accepted as of yet.

He hummed and rubbed cold butter into a bowl of flour and salt with his fingertips. He was attempting on making an old recipe Mr. Lemieux’s wife Nathalie used to make: venison pie. It was one of Mr. Lemieux’s favorites, but took a day or two to make. It would be a perfect surprise for when he returned.

Sidney continued on his own for the day until he heard humming outside. He sighed. “Here we go again.”

He walked to the door and opened it, expecting to find Alexander, but instead found Evgeny.

“Oh.”

“Hi Sidney.” The less-brash eastern man smiled. “Just wanted to stop by. Have talk. May I come in?”

Sidney nodded and let the young man in.

Evgeny was a quieter, possibly nicer man with the same thick accent as Alexander. He had actually been with him when he first showed up in town. He was kinder and made for good company and talk. Quite helpful even. Very smart. He had a wife and daughter in town. She worked as a seamstress and their daughter would likely follow in her footsteps eventually. It was surprising how he and Alexander were as close as they were.

Sidney set down two mugs of cider and sat at the table with him. “So, anything new that I’ve missed?”

Evgeny shrugged. “Not really much. Town is the same as usual. You are right about a lot of it. I found you silly for a bit when you said it never changes. Then I’m look around and realize you weren’t entirely wrong.”

“Told you so.” He said, taking a sip. “It’s clockwork. Every day without fail. The only things changing are the ways Alexander continues to attempt on wooing me…. Where is he, by the way?”

“The tavern, last time I checked.” He hummed. “Likely bragging about the game he killed this morning while we were out again. He asked me to tie his horse and so I did. I tried going inside, but I wasn’t in the mood for anything and it was very loud so I came here instead.”

Sidney rolled his eyes. “Naturally… Can I ask? Why do you spend so much time with him?”

“He is a much better man than he seems Sidney.” He chuckled. “Very brash and forward. Loud. Every now and then maybe a little too…. much. But he means well. Always does.”

Sidney sighed. “I suppose in his own special way. Why can’t he just understand that I don’t want to be with him?”

“He’s just very lonely.” Evgeny sighed. “He’s a good man. Friendly, loyal, attentive. He’s also bright. I swear. And he doesn’t mistreat me or anyone else. Swear on it. He’s just….”

“Arrogant?”

“Head-strong.” He said. “We can put it that way. Like that makes any sense.”

“In a way, I suppose.” The brunet shrugged. “How are the girls?”

“Well. Thank you.” He smiled. “And Mr. Lemieux? I noticed he’s not around today. Is he off at the market again?”

Sidney nodded. “Goes every year. Don’t tell Alexander.”

“I won’t.” He said. “Promise. But I cannot make promises about him finding out eventually on his own.”

“Very well…” he noticed something off about his behavior. “You seem tense… is everything alright?”

The eastern man looked around. “Not exactly. I was hoping you would say he was home. Maybe out fetching something.”

Sidney grew worried. “What do you mean? Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know. But I’m worried something might be.” He reached into the leather satchel at his side. 

He pulled out a long piece of red, knitted material. I took Sidney a moment before realizing that it was a scarf. The same one he’d bought Mr. Lemieux two winters ago as a New Year’s gift.

“That’s Mr. Lemieux’s scarf.” He said, taking the material. “He left with it in the cart yesterday in case he ever felt cold. I talked him into it. I know it’s May but I still worry… Evgeny, where did you find this?”

“In the woods.” Evgeny said. “It was a ways outside of town. I saw it and thought maybe it was his, but I had to be sure. I noticed there were wheel tracks nearby. But they were faint, meaning he could have been going very fast… Sidney, something could be wrong. Very wrong. I’m worried-“

They were startled by a whinnying noise outside and what sounded like horse’s hooves on the ground. Sidney got up at once and went to the window.

“Phillippe?” He wondered, hurrying outside. “Phillippe?!”

Evgeny followed in suit. “He still has the cart…”

Indeed the large horse still was attached to the wooden cart with its goods still packed inside the back. He was frightened to the core, barely letting Sidney touch him to soothe the beast.

“Phillippe, where’s Mr. Lemieux?” He asked. “Phillippe, please. Where is Mario. I need you to take me there.”

Evgeny nodded. “You go. I’ll help take care of this place. You need to go find him. Go now.”

Sidney nodded and quickly boarded the cart, stepping up and taking the reins.

-

Sidney’s heart raced in his chest. Something felt wrong, like Evgeny has said. Very, very wrong.

Phillippe hurried down the dirt path through the woods, leading the cart along the way.

The young man looked around as the forest changed. The foliage above him grew thicker. Darker. Sidney found himself in shock as the world around him began to grow whiter and whiter, flurries falling from the sky.

“What is this place?” He wondered to himself.

Then they arrived at the palace gates.

Sidney gawked wide-eyed as they opened on their own, allowing Phillippe to hurry through the gates and the garden-covered courtyard, and up to the looming castle ahead.

Sidney marveled at the structure before him and the horse. It was stories tall and looked as though it was from some marvelous dream… or more accurately a nightmare. There seemed to be no sign of life in its dark windows. It seemed as if the palace itself was dead. The gargoyles sneered and gnashed their stone teeth, frozen in time and warding off those with malicious intent. Not a single shadow of a person was in the windows. No one was living there. No light. Nothing. The whole place gave Sidney an off sense. Why did Phillippe lead him here? Why would Mario of all people be here?

Phillippe stopped just short of the entrance to the palace: two large doors with golden lions’ head knockers. 

Sidney stepped off the cart and approached the doors. He tried knocking, only for no one to answer. He furrowed his brows and tried pushing on the door, only for it to slowly move with the push of his hands.

The man walked quietly into the cold palace. Although it was beautiful, it seemed even more unwelcoming on the inside than it was out there. He looked around for someone he could talk to. Maybe even to find someone to take him to Mario.

“Hello?” He asked. “Is there anyone there? I’m looking for my father.”

He looked to a table to spot 2 candelabras, stocked with white candles and an ornate clock. He walked over and picked one of the candelabras up before using a the flint in his pocket to light the candles it held.

“A little light never hurt. It’s so dark in here…”

He made his way through the halls of the palace. The structure felt as devoid of life on the inside as it felt on the outside. How could such a place be so empty?

“Mario?” He called. “Mario, where are you?”

He continued until he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned quickly only to find no one there.

“Hello?” He called out, walking over. “Hello? Who’s there? I mean no harm, I promise.”

Nothing came but silence. He continued following down the corridors until he came to a heavy door. Sidney set the candelabra down and shoved the door with all of his might. The door opened to reveal a set of spiral stairs leading up.

He picked up the candelabra again and began making his way up.

“Hello?” He called. “Is anyone there? Say something, please…”

He froze as he heard a series of coughs somewhere at the top.

“Mario?!” He asked, hurrying his way up the stairs only to find his caretaker locked away behind bars.

The elder man looked up in shock. “Sidney… Sidney, what are you doing here?”

“I came to get you. Phillippe took me here. Dear God, what’s happened to you?! How did you get in here?!”

Mario’s worry-filled eyes were accompanied with a pale face and dark bags underneath, as he likely hadn’t slept all night. He looked disheveled and his clothes were wrinkled. and The room itself was freezing. He was nowhere near properly dressed for this kind of weather. He would surely catch his death.

“I’m going to get you out of here-“

He looked panicked. “Sidney, Sidney listen to me. You must go. You have to leave this place immediately-“

“I’m not leaving without you!”

“Sidney, please, you need to go! Now!”

“Who did this to you?! What’s going on?! I’m trying to help-“

He froze as he heard a great growl echo.

Sidney turned in the direction and backed away a few inches closer to the cell. “Who’s there?”

Mario whispered, the anxiety behind his words thick. “Sidney!”

Another growl was heard from the other end of the room, through the dark corridor.

Sidney’s eyes widened. “Who’s there? I asked before and I’ll ask again….are you the one who did this?”

“He’s my prisoner.” A deep, slightly accented voice rumbled. “And you are a trespasser. What are you doing here?”

Sidney was shaken from this. “Prisoner?”

“He stole a rose from me.” The voice said as a large shadowy figure made its way towards them. “He’s a thief.”

“I asked for it.” He confessed. “I asked for the rose. This isn’t his fault, it’s mine. Please. He’s my… my father. Let me take-“

Mario grabbed Sidney’s wrist through the bars. “Sidney, don’t! He means forever! If you take my place, you’ll never see the true light of day and go home again! I can’t lose you too!”

Sidney pales and turned back to the dark figure, furious. “A life sentence? You’ve given him a life sentence for something as… as trivial as a rose? How could you?”

“Do not question me and what I do!” The figure roared. “I have my means! Now go!”

Sidney squinted as it came closer, now obviously dressed in a cloak. “Please sir, I beg of you. Show some mercy! He’s old! He’ll get sick when it gets cold! He could die! Let me take his place!”

“Sidney, what are you doing?!”

“I’m getting you out of here!”

The figure spoke slowly. “You would take his place?”

Sidney nodded. “He’s all I have left… I’d do anything to protect him. Even if it means being your prisoner.”

The figure went silent for a moment. “You are a fool.”

“Maybe I am. What does it matter to me?”

The figure only growled as Sidney felt an ounce of courage grow within.

“Come into the light.”

The figure growled. “What?”

Sidney felt Mario’s grip on his hand tighten through the bars. “Sidney, no. You need to go home, please-“

“Just…. Please. Let me see you.”

What he didn’t expect was for the figure to oblige, to remove his hood, and step into a spot of sunlight from one of the windows.

Sidney could only hold his breath at the monster before him. Dark fur covered its face and hands, teeth visible and sharp in his mouth. He had great horns atop his head, huge, dark colored eyes, an animal’s dark wet nose, and sharp claws. This was no human thing. It only fit. Only beast could have such a monstrous heart to do such a terrible thing without remorse.

“Fine…. I’ll… I’ll go.” Sidney bit his lip before gaining an idea. “Can I at least say goodbye?”

The monster growled.

“Eternity can spare a few minutes, can’t it?” He asked.

The beast grunted and took a ring of keys from the wall. “Be quick…”

Sidney nodded and fiddled with the keys before undoing the lock and going inside. “Mario!”

Mario pulled the young man into a tight hug. “I’m going to be okay. I promise you. It’ll be alright. You know how to-“

“I know, I know.” He sniffled. “I’m going to miss you.”

The older man sighed. “I know. I will too.”

Sidney leaned in closer and whispered. “I’ll find a way out. I promise.”

“What-“

“Forgive me.” Sidney hurried and shoved Mario away and out of the cell before closing the iron barred door. “I had to do this.”

Mario stood there in shock and fear. “Sidney!“

The beast looked puzzled. “You took his place?”

Sidney bowed his head. “I told you. He’s all I have left. I’d do anything for him.”

The Beast regained his harsh gaze after a moment and sneered. “Now I know you really are the fool I took you for.”

Sidney kept his head low. “Maybe I am. What does it matter?”

“Sidney!”

“Mario, I’ll-“ He paled as the Beast took Mario by the shirt and began to drag him away. “No, wait!”

“Sidney!!”

Sidney watched in horror as he- his mentor and father figure- was dragged out and away, screaming for him. He felt as though he had all the air in his lungs taken from them. Tears welled his eyes as they faded out. His knees buckled, he fell to the floor, and broke into tears. This couldn’t be happening. This was some kind of bad dream. It had to be.

Not even half a day ago, he was dreading his normal life away in the village, Alexander’s incessant flirting and romancing, the odd stares, buying the same ingredients and such every other day. Heading back home to the cottage and the animals and performing the same chores day after day. Now he longed for those moments back. But he knew he had to do this. It would be either him or Mario. He’d rather it be him. 

What felt like hours passed as he sat alone on the dirty stone floor, cold and frightened. The sun outside began to set as the small amount of light from the small window began to turn golden then darken. It got colder.

“I’ll be glad to freeze sooner than spend years living here… at least then I’d be free. See my mother and father again.”

“Oh don’t think like that. You will not freeze.”

Sidney perked up and looked around. “Who’s there? Who said that?”

The lock on the door undid and opened.

“We did.”

Sidney couldn’t believe his eyes as what looked to be a pair of candlesticks hop forward. Out of all the things that had happened today, this was the most unbelievable.

“This can’t be real.”

“But it is.” One said, hopping forward. Now that their light was closer; the two candelabra did appear almost human. They were made of gold, ornate and shining. Their forms looked like that of a man in formal dress with his arms up, ending in two candles on small pedestals for hands. The head was the third on each and they both had faces with eyes, mouths, noses, and sculpted hair, looking up at him.

“Who… who are you?”

“Monsieur, I am Marc-Andre. My friend here is my trusted companion, Kristopher.”

“You may call me Kris.” he bowed to him. “At your service.”

Sidney just stared at the two. “I must be mad.”

“You are not. We promise. Now, follow us. You cannot stay here.”

“Aren’t I a prisoner? Besides, that monster would only get worse if he found out I left this place, wouldn’t he?”

“It’s going to be alright.” Kris said, motioning to the open cell door. “Besides, if you are staying forever, you should stay somewhere nicer. Now come.”

Sidney sighed. “Okay.”

The pair of candlesticks led him up endless flights of stairs and through countless corridors until arriving at a set of light blue doors, details painted in gold.

“This should do. Go on, have a look.”

Sidney opened the doors and widened his eyes at the elegance. The ceiling painted carefully with fluffy clouds in a golden hue, the walls the same powder blue as the doors, even with the walls accented with gold leaf to form dainty vines of ivy and morning glory flowers at the borders.

There was a cushy reading nook in front of three large windows with soft white cushions and pillows in each corner, but no shelves and no books. A white wardrobe with golden handles stood looming next to a vanity with the same features, white paint and golden features including the golden face of a woman sculpted at the top.

“It is not much compared to others, but we hope you will be more comfortable.”

Sidney continued to gawk at everything around him. “This is amazing.”

“Marc-Andre? Kristopher? Is that you?”

Sidney whipped around, frightened. “Who said that?”

The dresser began to move and the golden sculpted face at the top of the wardrobe began to move, opening its eyes and smiling.

“There you are! Darling, come here!”

Marc-Andre walked over with a smile. “And this, is Madame Veronique. My wife. She was the eldest daughter of a lady in waiting here at court to the old queen. Once the queen died, the family stayed. She and I met at a ball as teenagers-”

“And we fell in love.” she piped, cutting him off. “We married and eventually started a family once he got his mastery fulfilled. Two beautiful girls. We were planning on having another And then this happened. Since my family loved the world of fashion, including myself, I found myself turned into a wardrobe.”

“And since Kristopher and I were candlestick makers and repairers, we found ourselves like this… Speaking of the girls, where are they?”

Veronique laughed. “Likely off terrorizing their uncle Maxime again.”

“So… All of you are forms of your craft or your interests?”

Kris nodded. “This exactly, yes.”

“So… Is everything in here actually… someone?” he said, walking over to the plush bed. “Like… Is this bed someone? Hello?”

Kris chuckled. “No no no no. That is merely a bed. Trust me, many of us are here, but you will be able to tell which were once human and which have always been objects. We are a friendly bunch and talk when there is company.”

Sidney’s cheeks reddened. “Oh. My bad… You were human? How long have you been like this?”

“For years.” another female voice chimed. A cart came wheeling in with a teapot, teacup, saucer, and other tea necessities came in. “We have been like this for years.”

A smile grew on Kris’ face. “My new friend, this is my beloved Catherine and our little one, Alexander. She is the teapot and he is the cup. She was a tea maid in the palace.”

Sidney noticed a woman in a lovely dress and a teapot in her hands painted on the side of the China pot. The painted woman looked over to him, curtsied, and smiled. “How do you do? Alex, my darling, say hello.”

A little boy in blue was painted on the side of the cup with bright blue eyes, dark hair, and rosy little cheeks. Come to think of it, he did look like Kristopher from what Sidney could tell. He looked at Sidney shyly and waved to him.

“H-Hello” Sidney said back, looking around. “I can’t believe this.”

Vero sighed. “Neither could we when it happened…”

“What did this to all of you?”

Marc-Andre looked at everyone else in the room. “Well… It is a long story.”

“I am stuck here for eternity, aren’t I? I think we have time.”

He sighed. “What happened to us is the same thing which happened to our master.”

“Your ‘master’ became a monster. You all turned into objects of your craft. Was he just as much of a beast in his human form as he is now?”

“Our master was once kind.” Veronique said. “He truly was. When he was young, he was kind and gentle just as any child was. We all used to help care for him.”

“But then his mother passed away.”

“And his father took him under his wing. Even his caretaker, Seryozha, was unable to see him during the day. Only his father.”

“And his father shaped him to exactly what he was. Cold and uncaring…” Marc-Andre looked down. “He was no longer the boy we knew. And for that, he paid the price with a curse. So did we.”

“So… Why did this affect all of you?” Sidney asked. “You didn’t do anything.”

Kris was honest.

“That’s exactly why. We did nothing to stop it. As adults, we should have done something to help him keep him kind and not only under his father’s control… But we didn’t. Even when his father passed, we could have done something to make him kinder again. Showed more compassion and tried to help. We should have. But we never did.”

Sidney sighed.

Marc-Andre hopped towards the door with Kristopher. “We will leave you be. You have had a long day. Get some rest.”

And then they left with Catherine and Alex. And Vero fell asleep. Then he was alone.

Sidney looked around the grand room and sat on the bed. As much as this was better in quality than the prison cell, even than his own bed at home, it felt no different from the cell. He was stuck, trapped there for forever on his own with these people and the Beast.

“I can’t believe I used to crave a life of adventure.” he looked around and to the reading nooks’ large windows. “Maybe…”

A couple of hours later, he found himself fashioning a rope made of the sheets from the bed and clothes he took from Vero’s wardrobe while she slept.

He looked out the window to gain an estimate of how long he still had to go when the door opened. He panicked slightly and tried to hide the rope.

“Sidney?”

He looked and sighed. “Hello Catherine, hello Alex…”

Catherine looked from her teapot and saw the makeshift rope. “Oh. I see.”

Alex looked at the cloth rope, his little painted face clearly puzzled. “What’s that?”

Sidney felt guilty all of a sudden. “I’m sorry. I just need to get home. My father is old and he’s on his own now. I can’t stay… Especially with your master.”

Catherine sighed. “I understand.” 

She raised her hand towards the beautiful wooden box on the tea cart which opened, revealing small pots of different kinds of tea. “Still, a you should drink up. You have a long journey ahead of you. I have any kind of tea you could ask for. The benefits of the job I suppose. There’s oolong, ginseng, black, lemon, white… ”

Sidney walked over and sat on the bench in front of the vanity near her. “Lemon, thank you.”

Catherine smiled and the pot opened on its own and a portion was scooped out before being placed into the hot pot of water.

“We’ll let that steep… The whole palace knows of you, Sidney. Everyone thinks what you did was very brave. You stepped in for someone you cared for and took his place, even in the face of the master.”

“I did what I had to do… How did you do the tea thing? Scooping it out and the like. You didn’t touch it.”

“We still have some forms of autonomy. We have a little help with magic. We aren’t completely helpless, thank goodness. Aren’t we, mon petit?”

Alex giggled, making Sidney smile softly.

“He’s darling, isn’t he?”

He nodded. “He is. As for the magic though, even that doesn’t surprise me. With the day I’ve had, nothing will surprise me ever again, will it?”

“Maybe so.” She stopped talking when she heard Sidney’s stomach rumble. “Are you hungry?”

“I haven’t eaten since this morning.” he said. “I didn’t even realize. It’s alright. I’ll get food when I get home.”

Catherine gave him a look with her painted face. Even he could tell she was judging him heavily.

“No, you will be even worse when you get there. You should eat first. Come. Follow me.”

“But what if he sees?” he asked. “You and everyone else would get into trouble.”

Catherine assured him. “He will not find us. Don’t worry. Now, follow me. I will save the tea for part of your supper.”

-

Evgeny walked over with two mugs of ale to the wooden table, his friend slumped over in his sorrows.

“Come on, Sasha, cheer up. He’s… playing hard to get.”

The brown and silver-haired man groaned from where he slumped. “It is no use anymore, Zhenya. How couldn’t he want me? What do I do? All I do is shower him with my affections. That should work, shouldn’t it?”

Evgeny didn’t say much of anything out of fear of saying the wrong thing, setting one of the mugs in front of Alexander and sitting across from him.

Alexander picked up the mug and took a swig. “I mean, really… What doesn’t he see in me? I would be a wonderful husband, wouldn’t I?”

“You would.” Evgeny looked across at his deflated friend and sighed. “It’s disturbing to see you this way, Sasha. I’ve never seen you like this.”

He took another swig. “It’s no use to keep going after him, is it? I’ve been after him since you and I came here, Zhenya, and yet I have not come a single step closer to making him mine. I’ve tried everything!... I should give up, shouldn’t I?”

This was the turning point. He was worse than he thought.

“Give up? You never give up on anything! Now this really isn’t like you!”

Alexander shrugged. “Well what else can I do?”

“Alexander, the people here love you!” he looked around. “Come on, you’ve done so much for the people here. Everyone here’d love to either have you or be you. Some even both.”

Alexander looked back down at his beer. Evgeny looked around and asked people what they thought of Alexander. Eventually the evening shifted from a quiet night at the bar to resounding praise for his friend, stories flying and beer flowing from the taps.

“Come on! See? What did I tell you? You’re everyone’s favorite!”

He laughed. “I suppose you are right. What was I saying? This only makes me want him more! I should try even harder! More visits, more gifts!”

“Hey now, easy. I didn’t say that. Maybe-”

“Maybe what? That’s exactly what you told me to do!”

“Not inherently. However, maybe you just need to find the right balance of time and emotions and such. Control yourself around him a bit more and maybe you’ll find he can grow to enjoy your company. See you’re not a bad guy. You’re just very… affectionate. You just need something to give it a running start.”

“Help! Someone, help!”

Alexander’s head whipped to the tavern’s entrance to see an exhausted man run in. “Mario?”

“Help! He’s gone!”

Evgeny went over to him. “Mario, easy, easy. What happened? What do you mean?”

His eyes were wide and frightened, yet his body seemed tired. He was on some form of edge.

“It’s Sidney, he’s trapped. I need help.”

“Trapped? Where is he?”

“He’s in a dungeon. Please, you must believe me. He’s been captured. He took my place! It’s my fault! Please, I need help to get him back and bring him home!”

Evgeny looked to his friend, confused yet hopeful, who in turn gave him a nod.

“Mario, I would be honored- as would Evgeny- to help free Sidney and bring him back. We should leave as soon as we can. Evgeny, get my horse.”

-

The kitchen was a sight when Sidney, Alex, Catherine walked in. Sets of silverware and fine china shuffling along the countertops or in the sinks, the pots on the stove bubbled and boiled with different recipes in each, the ovens were blazing, everything seemed bustling and busy.

“Here is the kitchen. Maybe… There they are! Pascal! Kristopher! Marc-Andre!”

Sidney saw his two new acquaintances run over followed by a beautiful clock, the same one he saw earlier.

“Sidney, my friend, good to see you again!”

The clock looked him up and down. “So this is the man we’ve all heard so much about.”

“I didn’t know I even had a story to be told until Catherine said so.” Sidney said. “And yes. My name is Sidney.”

“Pascal Dupuis,” the clock said, “formerly the clockmaker and one of the teachers to this pair of loons.”

Marc-Andre feigned offense. “You hurt me so, my friend.”

Sidney smiled softly and was led to a table which outfitted itself with a tablecloth, glasses, plates, and the like.

“Now, just relax while we present your dinner. We have not had human company in so long. We are aching for a chance to serve again.”

Sidney had never had such rich food in his life. Onion soup, a fresh salad with goat’s cheese and figs- how did they get figs?-, roasted duck with potatoes and greens, it was wonderful. To finish, a small cake flavored with almond and sweet cream decorated with a delicate icing, candied flowers, and almond slices with a cup of sweet lemon tea. His new company made him feel welcome, talking to him throughout dinner about life on the outside and the life on the inside.

When he couldn’t eat or drink another bite, he thanked them all and was escorted back through the palace by the two candlesticks and clock.

“Pascal has been here much longer than the two of us. He knows everything about this place, don’t you, Pascal?”

“I do,” he said, “but I am not ancient. I’m not even 40 yet.”

“Still much older than we are.”

“I’m not even 20 yet.” Sidney said. “Not until August, at least.”

“Oh so you are quite young indeed.” Pascal said. “Just a young man. Even Kris and Marc-Andre are over 30 now.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not one bit.” Marc-Andre smiled. “Don’t worry, you are just fine.”

Sidney nodded and looked to the grand staircase on the left of them. “Where does this go?”

Pascal’s face grew a tad concerned at the young man’s curiosity. “It’s nothing, just the west wing, don’t worry about it. Just… more rooms. Living quarters and storage. Come, we need to get you back to your room. We will tell the master about your new situation once you’re there. Don’t worry about a thing. Just keep following.”

Sidney furrowed his brows and followed them back to his room where they bid farewell to the night. He carried on a conversation with Vero about supper and life in the outside world. He finally met the girls. Estelle and Scarlett who were now a pair of poupees-fashion dolls- and sweet like their mother in beautiful little gowns. He told them all goodnight before he tucked in.

He waited for what felt like forever until he thought Vero and the girls had fallen asleep. Sidney carefully left the bed and took the candelabra from the bedside table. After making sure it wasn’t living, he took the flint and steel from the small sack on his belt and lit the candles.

Making his way back down the hall, he did everything to remain quiet. He had to know what was in the west wing of the palace. Even if it was nothing like Pascal said, it was better to know that it was really nothing over not knowing anything at all.

The west wing was cold, dark, and completely empty. You could hear a pin drop. The only light available came from the moon peering through the large windows and the candles.

“This place is amazing” he whispered.

He noticed a small light coming through a crack in a pair of large doors at the end of the hall. He made his way down and pushed open one of the heavy wooden doors to reveal what once was likely a grand room. Only now it was a mess. Dark and drafty with no candles lit, furniture scattered across the room, chairs with broken legs, canvas and curtain alike slashed into ribbons.

Sidney came across an old portrait of a family and put the candles on the nearby dresser table to get a better look. A mother, a father, and a young son in fine clothes and hair. The image of the son and father were slashed, but the mother remained untouched. Something was familiar about the eyes.

He saw the same glimmer of light from the corner of his eye. Remembering what brought him in, he turned and walked to it, quietly as he could. He found, through a pair of French doors, a beautiful glass-domed balcony, though the glass was broken in some areas and a whole chunk of the structure was missing in the left corner, letting the cold night air in.

There was a small pedestal on the moon-bathed balcony of the room and on it sat a red rose in a bell jar, the base surrounded in fallen petals. He was unsure if it was real or if he was seeing things, but he swore the stem was floating off the surface of the pedestal and giving off the light he saw.

“What are you?”

He reached out his hand and touched the handle of the bell jar to lift it and get a better look before being knocked away.

“What are you doing here!?” That deep voice roared. Sidney looked up to find the master looming over him, looking mad as a raging bull. “How did you get out!?”

“I- I-”

The master turned to the rose and lifted the jar carefully, looking frantically at the rose before turning back to him. “You could have hurt it! You could have killed it! Do you not know what you could have done?! You could have ruined everything!”

“P-Please, I didn’t mean to-”

“GET OUT!”

He didn’t have to tell Sidney twice. Sidney scrambled to his feet and ran quickly out of the room, down the hall, down the stairs, and just kept running.

“Sidney?” he heard ring out. “Sidney where are you going?”

“Kris, I’m leaving.” he said, hurrying and grabbing his cloak from his room, not even turning to look at his newfound friend. “I’m not staying here any longer. I can’t. Goodbye.”

He ran out of the room as Kris called after him. He heard him call for others and ran more, throwing his cloak around him as he heard others call for him.

He made it to the door but they wouldn’t budge. “Come on, please. Please, please, please.” He finally got the door open and sighed in relief, hurrying through and shutting it behind him. He sprinted to find Phillippe and once he did, he jumped on and rode him out of the gardens and through the gates.

He hurried through and dared not look back as he made his way into the woods once more. He was going home.

He came to a small patch in the path and looked around. Something felt wrong. Then he heard it. The growling from the bushes. Wolves.

He froze as the wolves made their way out, circling the unlucky man and his horse. He had to do something. He had to think. He had to move. Why can’t he move?

One of the wolves lunged at Phillippe, sinking his claws into his hide. The horse bucked, causing Sidney to be knocked off and to the ground on his back with a thud. He groaned and got up, grabbing a large nearby branch to try to get the wolves away from him and his horse. He took the branch and knocked the one holding onto his horse in the head. The wolf released and whimpered, falling to the ground unconscious.

This made the others get angry. They started to growl and came closer.

Sidney swung at them but it was no use. There were 4 of them left and only one of him.

“Stay back!” He swung. “I just want to go home!”

Out of nowhere, a large cloaked shadow came and swatted one of the wolves away, making it fly across the path into a tree. The other wolves then ganged up on whatever it was, but Sidney knew. It was the castle’s master.

The Beast growled and fought off the wolves. They scratched, clawed, and bit, but eventually they all fell one by one, no match for his strength and size. Sidney’s eyes were glued, terrified yet grateful as he stood watching him ragdoll the predators to keep them away from him. This Beast that just roared at him to get out for looking at the rose. The Beast who locked his father away then him, threatening to keep either for forever, the reason he was in this situation, was helping him stay alive and ending the beasts that threatened to harm him.

Once the wolves were done, the Beast turned to Sidney. He was breathing heavily, his cloak and the clothing underneath were torn and bloodied, likely his own rather than the wolves’ blood. Their eyes met and Sidney saw the sadness and self-loathing, staring into his big, dark eyes before the Beast fell to the forest floor.

Sidney turned back to Phillippe, tending to his wound and making sure he was good to run, but he wasn’t getting on. He looked back to the Beast’s body and felt guilt wash over him. He couldn’t leave him to die.

He gently walked over to him and knelt down. “I need you to help me here. Do you think you can stand?”

-

Catherine poured hot water into the basin with the soap. The entire palace seemed on edge and was waiting outside the door. Only a few were allowed inside.

Alex watched as Sidney swished the soap around in the water, making suds before dipping a rag inside.“Is he gonna be okay?”

“If I do this right, hopefully he will.” he wrung the extra water out and turned to the beast, lying in the great bed in the room. “Please, be still. This is going to sting a little bit.”

He gently pressed the rag to a gash in the Beast’s arm, causing him to let out a great roar in pain and pull his arm away.

“That hurts!”

Sidney sighed, “I said it would. If you didn’t move, maybe it wouldn’t have.”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have gotten out and into the west wing! Maybe you shouldn’t have run off!”

“Well maybe you should learn to control your temper!”

The Beast scowled but seemed unable to find anything to compete with that. He grumbled and stretched his arm back out.

“Just… be gentle.”

Sidney nodded, dipping the rag back into the soapy water. “Thank you, by the way. For saving my life.”

The Beast looked at him and growled as the rag made contact again with his open flesh. “Why? I made you run.”

“You did, but you followed after me. Not only that, you fought off four wolves to save me. You could have been killed. You probably thought I was going to leave you to die out there. But you still took that risk. So, thank you.”

The Beast laid there silent for some minutes as Sidney tended to his wounds with help from the others including a box of medicinal ingredients which called itself Dana.

“You’re welcome.” He said. “What is your name?”

“Sidney.” He said. “And yours? Everyone has a name after all.”

“It’s Evgeni.” He said. “My name is Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin the First.”

“Evgeni.”

“You must be one of the only people outside this place who can pronounce my name.”

“I knew someone with a name like that once.” He said as he covered the gash in a clean bit of cloth and grabbed a roll of bandages. “He lived in my village. Would you like me to call you Evgeni?”

“You may, if you wish.” He said, watching him bandage his arm before turning on his side to let him tend to the claw marks on his back.

Evgeni remained in bed rest for days as the wounds healed. Sidney would change the bandages periodically and Dana helped him make medicine to fight off potential infection. Even afterwards, Sidney was beginning to stay by his bedside to make sure he was alright, even if others volunteered to watch over him so he could rest or eat.

The two began to make small talk, though not much. Mostly about old hobbies and pastimes or food. He learned about Sidney’s sweet tooth- or more teeth in honesty- and he learned of Evgeni’s liking towards something called borscht. It was an eastern soup made of beets and eaten with sour cream. According to him it was delicious, but it would stain everything due to how pink it was. It came from his father’s country.

Over a couple weeks, the Beast recovered and in time hair grew back and covered the scars left by the wolves. He got up and began to walk around the castle again. Sidney would see him from time to time as he roamed, but he kept his distance for safe keeping, usually keeping to himself in his room or the kitchen, talking to Catherine and Vero and the others. He got to know a smither’s tool named Maxime who used to be Marc-Andre and Kristopher’s master in their metalworking apprenticeship years and then a rather quiet cookbook who used to be a young chef’s apprentice named Nicklas. He hardly ever seemed to talk, but he would sometimes bring up missing someone and life as a human again. As much as he and the Beast talked when he was healing, Sidney doesn’t think of him as a friend or even an acquaintance. Just someone. But maybe, just maybe, that could change.

-

Alexander sighed as he got back to his home, putting his rifle back on its pegs on the wall.

“Well, maybe he went off the other way?”

Alexander glared at his companion. “He’s a fool.”

Evgeny furrowed his brows and looked at him. “A fool? Sidney?”

“No, Mario.” he said, going to light a fire. “Mario is the damned fool.”

“Mario? But he’s only looking out for Sidney. He was trying to get-”

“He was trying to free him from a dungeon. A dungeon. Locked away in a palace that doesn’t exist. We just spent two days looking for this alleged palace.” The elder groaned. “Face it, Evgeny. He’s lost his mind. Sidney may have run away. Sure we’ll find him, but how?”

“Maybe we should turn your affections to someone else?”

“Now’s not the time for jokes, my friend.” he said, sitting in his chair once the fire was lit. “We need a new plan. Need to get Sidney alone and as mine. To see I’m not so bad. But at this point... ”

Evgeny sighed and sat in the chair next to him. He wanted to help Sidney, but at the same time Alex was his friend and he had to help him.

Suddenly, Alex’s head jumped up. “I’ve got it.”

The plan was awful. It was clever, yes, but morally corrupt in every way he could think of. Evgeny grew uncomfortable.

“Sasha, maybe this isn’t a good idea. This is dark! This is wrong! What’s gotten into you?”

“I am but a man in love, a hunter after his prey.” he said. “And my prey keeps getting away. I need a better trap. This is it. Get me my stationary.”

“Alexander, this isn’t going to make him love-”

“Do you test me?” he growled.

Evgeny shrunk down and stayed silent. He’d never seen him this mad.

“That’s what I thought… Get my stationary. Now. I need an old friend to help me get the details and finalize this plan.”

-

One day, Evgeni came to Sidney’s door and asked if he would follow him, speaking in a soft voice. When Sidney asked, he wouldn’t say what, no matter how he persisted.

Sidney was hesitant, unsure of why he would do this out of seemingly nowhere, but let himself follow him, accompanied by the few companions Sidney had made so far.

He led him to a pair of great doors where Evgeni told him to close his eyes. He gave him a look, making the beast roll his eyes. “Just do it, yes? So stubborn.”

Sidney sighed and closed his eyes. He heard the heavy doors open and felt himself be led inside. He could feel sunlight on his face and heard the echo of footsteps as they go inside.

“Can I open them yet?”

“Not yet.” He felt him let go of his hand a couple steps further. “All right… open.”

Sidney opened his eyes and found himself unable to speak. All around him, in shelves to the ceiling and floor, top to bottom, in every elegant nook and cranny, were books. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of books. Sunlight came in through the large windows, his footsteps rang out on the marble floor. Beautiful staircases led to the open upper level so one could get up and retrieve the books on the shelves up. All around, there were plush chairs and rugs, little tables, even a couple of fireplaces to keep it warm in colder months. All of it was so beautiful.

“I remembered you mentioned how much you loved books when you helped me. This is the palace library. It was the biggest in the land from what I remembered. Do you like it?”

“I… It’s beautiful…”

“Then it’s yours.”

Sidney looked at him in shock. “What?”

“It’s yours… No one’s come in here in the longest time. But you will give it care. Let it be yours. It’s a thank you for helping me.”

Now Sidney really didn’t know what to say. “I… How many are there?”

“One of any book one can imagine, I can bet. Some even in Greek and Latin. Others in French and my father’s language. Some I’m not sure anyone here knows anymore.”

Sidney could only smile, making his way to the nearest shelf.

The next day, Evgeni asked if he would join him for supper. Unsure of what to do, he said yes. As he sat down from across him, he tried not to make an odd face as this beastly figure tried to manage his mighty paws around the dainty handle of a soup spoon. He looked occasionally at his newest book.

“What is that?”

He looked up to his company. “Hm?”

Evgeni acknowledged the book. “The story. What is it?”

“Oh!” Sidney smiled. “This one is _Eros and Psyche_. The Greek myth. I always wanted to read this one, but we never got it in my village’s shop. It’s a lovely story. Have you read it?”

Evgeni seemed to think. “I’m not able to remember.”

“Oh. How long has it been if you’ve read a story like this?”

He saw him furrow his brows as he thought some more.

“Don’t remember. I can’t remember much. Even the last time I picked up one.”

“Do you remember how to read?”

He thought again and made a frustrated face. “I don’t know anymore.”

Sidney felt bad for him. “I can read to you, if you’d like.”

He looked at him in surprise. “You would?”

Sidney nodded. “I wouldn’t mind. Would you?”

Evgeni shook his head. Sidney smiled and re-started the book, this time reading aloud for him to hear. They met again the next day to complete the story. Then again the next two for another, and then another, and then another.

Evgeni’s reading improved again as he began to remember his teaching when he was a boy. He seemed at ease with Sidney now, sitting closely to him while they read.

One morning, Sidney roamed the library for the next story. He came across one covered in dust. Blowing and brushing it off revealed the story of Achilles. He didn’t know much about Achilles apart from his mother being an immortal being though he didn’t know what exactly, being dipped in the River Styx as a baby to his heels to become invincible, only to be killed in the Trojan war when an arrow hit his heel where the Styx never touched.

“This should be nice.” he said, picking it off its pile and heading to the reading nook that he and the king would sit at together, relaxing in one of the plush chairs armchairs. Evgeni arrived a short while later and sat in the bigger chair next to him.

“What story is it today?”

“ _The Legend of Achilles_.” he said before looking up to find the Beast’s face looking at him. “What?”

“Nothing.” he said. “I just haven’t heard that book’s name in a long time.”

“Do you still want me to read it? I can go get something else-”

He shook his head. “No no, please. I want you to.”

Sidney nodded and began to read the book.

The next day, they continued to read. Then the next day, they continue on and Sidney gets to a part where Achilles is with a man named Patroclus. The book describes them holding each other, spending time just with the two of themselves, many things that couples tend to do. They were in love.

“And with the war over, the funeral games were set. Odysseus and Menelaus arranged for the bones of Achilles to remain forever with the bones of Patroclus, binding them forever in death as they wished to be in life.” He closed the book and looked up to find the king looking away from him.

“Evgeni? Is everything alright?” The king’s head did not turn. “Evgeni?”

“Do you think they are together?” he heard his voice ask softly. “After all this time?”

“Achilles and Patroclus?” he asked. “I… Yes, I’d like to think they are. Evgeni are you alright?”

He sat silent for a bit.

“Zhenya.”

Sidney was confused. “Zhen… Zhenya?”

“Zhenya.” he mumbled again. “Call me Zhenya. I prefer it… My mother called me Zhenya. My father and everyone else called me Evgeni.”

Oh.

“Okay… What’s wrong, Zhenya? You can tell me.”

“Isn’t it wrong?”

Sidney furrowed his brows. “What?”

“Them? Achilles and Patroclus. My father used to say… He would say it was wrong.”

“Wrong?” He asked. “Being in love?”

“With someone the same? Yes.”

Sidney looked at the book in his hands. “It’s not like that. Not where I’m from at least. We can.. We can marry other boys. Have families. It’s not odd.”

“Wasn’t here either until my father said no more.” he said. “He would beat it into me day after day. It’s not right, he would say. He set me to marry a princess to forbid me even thinking of it. But then there was an accident. Poison, some say… She died. And my father died before he could set another for me.”

Sidney felt his heart sink more and more on every word. “Zhenya, I’m so sorry.”

“You say it is not wrong anymore yes?”

“Not at all… I think it was only your father who had the problem… Zhenya do you like men?”

“I don’t know.” He kept his eyes away. “Do you?”

“For the most part.” he said. “But I have yet to meet one who makes me interested… Tell me about the life before. I want to know.” Zhenya looked away from him.

Sidney sighed and figured that would lead nowhere then. Great. He upset him.

“I was born on the last day of July. But I don’t know when that is anymore. None of us do.” Zhenya mumbled. “I was the second born, but my elder brother didn’t last long when he was a child. Fever took him. So I was the next hope for my father and the throne. That’s why I was such a big deal.”

Sidney stayed with him, hearing him out, hearing about the curse and life before.

“So is that why you screamed at me?” Sidney asked. “The rose is your life force?”

“In a way I guess.” Zhenya murmured. “She said that, if I cannot find someone who I love and have them fall in love with me in return before the last petal falls at dawn on my 21st birthday, I will stay like this forever and everyone in the palace will turn to objects permanently. Not even able to talk. Just objects. Even then, none of us are able to tell how much time is left. We forget how long it has been or what day or month it is. Especially as the weather never changes.”

“Oh… I understand. I didn’t realize-“

“How could you have?” He met his eyes. “You weren’t there. No one explained it to you. I should have controlled my temper.”

“No, that was my doing. You were scared. It’s alright… I didn’t even know you were so young. You’re like me. It’s hard for some of us to-”

“No, I made you run off. I apologize.”

Sidney sighed and continued hearing. He found them on a tangent about family and Zhenya’s ferocious demeanor melted away when he talked about his mother.

“My mother was the kindest person in my life.” he said. “She was the opposite of my father. She cared for me, held me, kissed my cheek. She would sing and read to me, walk in the gardens… But then something happened. She got very sick. And when she was gone, my father took me under his wing. Things changed… He taught me how to be a king.”

“But at what cost?” Sidney asked.

The young king looked at his paws, the padding where his fingertips were, covered in dark hair everywhere else. “Everything.”

-

Evgeny sat in the dark pub with Alexander when the door opened. He heard the footsteps approach him and he noticed how Alexander smirked as the chair across from him filled with a dark figure.

“You better have a good reason for sending for me.” the man across from him said. “Things at the asylum are never optimal. I’ve left my workers at the mercy of the patients.”

Evgeny looked around. He didn’t like this. This plan, this manipulation, this near insanity. This was very very wrong. But he couldn’t say a word.

“My friend, I need your help with something.” Alexander said. “I have my eyes on someone.”

Monsieur Therrien rolled his eyes. “I know it is the Crosby-Lemieux boy. Everyone knows, Alexander. You don’t need to be vague with me or anybody. Get to it.”

“Fine.” he grunted. He took a sip of ale and turned back to him. “I have my eyes on Sidney. It is well known but that is because I care. However, no matter how hard I try, he refuses me at every turn. I bring him flowers, I bring him cakes, I bring him the best cuts of my game. I invite him to dances or to hear me tell my tales at the pub. Tell him of the future I dream for him and me when I get the chance. But they never work. I always end up with a door in my face. I mean no disrespect to him. I never do. But he has gotten on my last nerve. This idiocy has gone on long enough and I cannot take it anymore. He’s driving me mad!”

“So what does this have to do with me?” the keeper asked. “Do you need to be locked away? Do you want him locked away?”

“Oh no. Not me and not him. We are not the reason.” the brunet said with a dangerous smirk. “It’s his caretaker.”

“And what of Mr. Lemieux?” he asked. “He is odd, but… I see no reason to bring him into my care. Not yet at least.”

“Oh I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” He took another swig. “A month ago now, he came into the bar asking- no, begging- someone to help him. He said Sidney had gotten trapped in a dungeon of all things and that we had to go help him save him. I thought it was insane when I heard it, however it became apparent that there was no dungeon, nevermind the grand castle and eternal winter he described. It’s like he was telling us a story. Even then, no Sidney. Right, Evgeny? Wasn’t he mad?”

The younger froze and cleared his throat. “Uh y-yes. He was in lunacy.”

“I see.” Therrien said. “What else?”

“Well, since that day, he has hardly come out into society.” he said. “He barely comes into town anymore. Not that he did much in the first place. Usually it was my Sidney who did the errands. But now he is gone. I’m sure he ran away with how much he had to put up with.”

Evgeny sat there in silence. He couldn’t stand up for Sidney out of fear that Alexander would break him down, but he didn’t want to just say nothing. “Maybe he’s going through a grieving process? If Sidney did run away, maybe it’s grief he is going through. He isn’t used to being on his own after all and he cared for Sidney as though he were his own flesh and blood son. I’m sure he’ll turn up eventually. Maybe it was an a-”

Alexander elbowed him very hard in the ribs. Evgeny winced, but knew it was a mark to shut him up.

“Evgeny, it’s been over a month now. If he had run off, he’s not coming back. And it will be my duty to find him. But if I do or if he somehow comes back and he still won’t marry me, maybe he’ll need persuasion. And that is where you come in, Monsieur.”

Therrien relaxed back in his chair. “I see what you want. You want me to take the old man once he comes back or is rescued. Once Sidney is alone or begging, you will come in and offer to help. Is that what you want?”

“Exactly that.” his friend grinned. “If Sidney comes back to care for the old man, we show up with you and you try to take him. Sidney will beg for you to not and I will come in to “assist” and “free him” but only if he agrees to marry me. If Sidney returns and he is already gone, he will have no one else to turn to but me. But we’ll give it another few weeks before resorting to that second one. For now, we will come into plan one. It should be foolproof. What do you say?”

“As much as it sounds fun, I need my compensation for all the time away and for my side of the deal.” he said. “What will you give me for partaking in this… unorthodox practice?”

Alexander motioned again to Evgeny. Evgeny leaned to his sack and brought out a sack filled with coins, placing it on the table. The keeper smirked and picked up the bag, comparing the weight. “When?”

“I’ll send you a letter once we think the time is right.”

Evgeny looked at his hands as they continued to talk about the plan, refining the details of it. He really didn’t like this, but there was nothing he could do. If he told Mario and he ditched town, Alexander would know it was him because there was no one else who knew about this besides himself, Monsieur Therrien, and Alexander and neither of them would tell. He would be ostracized and berated, abandoned by his friend for what he would consider a betrayal even if he knew this was twisted. What happened to him?

Once he left, the two of them were left alone in the pub. Evgeny looked at his friend. “Sasha, this is going too far.”

“What is?”

“Uh, bringing in the asylum keeper and forming this entire plan?” he said. “What’s gotten into you? I’ve never seen you like this. I’m getting worried for you.”

He scoffed. “If anything this is the best course of action. Stop being a boy and be a man.”

“Alexander if this is manly, I am fine with being a boy.” He said. “Please, see reason-”

“I thought you were my friend!”

“I am, but please!” he begged. “Please. See reason.”

He glared at his friend. “You will see. This will work and you will regret ever doubting me. Come, let’s get you home now.”

-

Sidney hummed and stacked books on a shelf, both organizing and looking for a new book for him and Zhenya to read. They had just finished reading the the other night and he was itching to find a new fantasy book for them to read together. 

Over this past few weeks, he and Zhenya had been spending more and more time together. They began having every meal together now, not just supper, and taking strolls in the gardens outside, bundled up to protect from the cold. They would take tea together in a beautiful greenhouse by the river which ran on the outskirts of the property every afternoon and every day Zhenya would open up more and more to him. And Sidney did the same in return.

In reality, the king was a kind and gentle soul. He was starting to unlearn the sins of his father and coming into his own. He loved dogs and all other animals, he took his tea with a lot of sugar, he knew the maps and the name of every person in every portrait in the palace. He would even make jokes now, something Sidney nor anyone else expected. If anything, he was growing to be… charming. He was becoming aloof, kinder and sweeter certainly since the first meet. He was considerate, funny, rather smart, all of it made for wonderful company. It made Sidney feel much less like a prisoner anymore and more like a person again.

“ _The Odyssey?_ No… _Romeo and Juliet_? No, too tragic… _Arabian Nights_. Perfect”

He heard the door open and grinned. “Zhenya, you’re earlier than I thought, but lucky for you I found our next book.”

He turned to find the king with an arm full of beautiful flowers wrapped in golden ribbon. He stood there, saying nothing to him.

“Oh!” Sidney made his way to him. “They’re beautiful! Did you get them from the garden? We can split them from this and put them all in vases around the library. It’ll certainly brighten up this place, don’t you think?”

“They’re for you.”

Sidney’s cheeks reddened. “What?”

He held out the large bouquet of flowers. “These. They’re for you. They can be for the library too if you want them to be, but I hope that you appreciate them more than the room will.”

He put the book under his arm, taking the bouquet in his hands. Roses, lilies, baby’s breath, and violets. They’re absolutely beautiful and he smiled. “Thank you. Thank you so much. That’s very kind of you.”

He saw him smile, genuinely happy of how he took the surprise gift. “I’m glad you liked it.”

“Do you want to come sit? I have our new book.”

He nodded and goes to sit in their usual spot in front of the lit fireplace. “What is the story?”

He followed and split the flowers in two nearby vases which filled themselves with water. “ _Arabian Nights: The Tales of Scheherazade_. It’s multiple different stories all in one book. I’ve heard of this story before but never read it. I think this will be fun.”

He sat with him and began to read aloud, beautiful writing and illustrations bringing the stories to life for them.

They stopped once it began to get dark, the light now coming from the fire and the candles stationed all around the library. Sidney closed the book, using the ribbon to mark where they had left off.

“We can continue tomorrow. For now, I think this is a good place to leave off.”

The king nodded and didn’t get up from where he was as Sidney put the book down and went back to retrieve the flowers.

“Sidney?”

“Yes?”

“There’s another thing I wanted to ask you.”

Sidney tied the two bunches back together with the cloth of gold ribbon. “What is it?” He looked back to him. “Is it serious? Is something wrong with the rose?”

“N-no, nothing. I uh…” Sidney noticed how he was unable to meet his eyes.

“What?”

“Come to supper with me.”

Sidney thought for a second and smiled. “I already join you for supper every day. And breakfast and tea and dinner. You don’t have to ask. I already know to be there.”

“No, Sidney,” he said, “I mean, it’s different. This is different. I… I was wondering if you and I would have supper together.”

It clicked after a moment what he meant.

“Oh!” he looked around. “I… Uh, are you sure?”

He nodded. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It is a request, but not an order. I can’t tell you what to do.”

“Well you are the king. If anyone can tell me, it’s you.” he said.

He shrugged. “You are much more different. I cannot control you and what you do. Even I know this.”

Sidney cracked a smile. “When?”

“At 8. If that is alright with you.”

“8 it is, Zhenya. I trust I’ll see you then?”

To his surprise, Zhenya fully grinned, eyes shining. “You will. You should get going. You have to get ready.”

That evening, it felt as though the whole palace was buzzing. Sidney found himself being doted over by his friends including Catherine and little Alex. Vero and the girls were helping with his clothing choices for supper and also his hair.

Currently, Estelle and Scarlett were in a little argument. “I like him in blue!”

“But I like him in red!” Scarlett answered back. “I think he looks pretty in red!”

Vero tsked the girls and calmed them down. “Now settle down. Let’s see what he likes. It is his night after all.”

“I wouldn’t know what to wear.” the young man said. “I’ve never worn anything special like this?”

Vero rolled her eyes. “Trust me, I know. You only wear blouses and simple vests with your simple. At most I’ve seen you in a nice cloak to go outside. I’ve been waiting months to finally have you wear something classier.”

Sidney rolled his eyes as a hairbrush and comb styled his dark hair, taking the dark waves and curls and refining them.

Vero pulled out a number of different items, but he was still unsure. He didn’t want to look bad for Zhenya. Especially given the circumstances. If he and Zhenya fell in love, the curse would be broken. He didn’t even know how much time was left or what day it was.

“What if I can’t get it done?” he asked.

“You will. We have faith in you.” Catherine smiled, watching him be outfitted. “There’s something there now between the two of you that wasn’t there a while before. He’s changed because of you.”

“He doesn’t yell any more.” Alex said.”

Catherine smiled. “Which is a certain improvement I’d say. You’ve really helped him open up. He’s becoming human again even if he is not physically like that. Well, not yet.”

“Catherine, do not force him.” Vero chimed. “Love takes its own time to form roots. Let him live. Both of them, actually. I know you are a romantic, we all are, but still. Don’t try to force it.”

“How am I supposed to know if I am in love?” Sidney asked. “Even then, how do I tell him?”

“You’ll know. Trust me. When the time is right, you’ll know.”

Sidney nodded and looked in the mirror. The golden yellow dress coat and a lighter yellow vest underneath, both decorated with gold and silver thread to form patterns of vines and flowers. Under was a white blouse and cravat, puffing out gently between the neckline of his vest. His hair had been trimmed and groomed into a gentle coift, waves and calm. He’d never worn heeled shoes before. They were definitely less comfortable than his regular shoes, but they still worked with the rest of what he was wearing. He really looked like a prince. “Do you think I look good enough?”

Estelle walked over to him, her soft yarn hair tied back with a blue ribbon. “I think you’re handsome!”

Catherine smiled and checked the clock on the dresser. “It’s almost time. Let’s get you where you need to be, Sidney.”

Sidney nodded and walked out, followed by the group of ladies to the grand hall, walking down the steps to the base above the ones leading to the floor. Across, he saw Zhenya come down. He was dressed sharply in a black dress coat and matching pants with silver and gold trim, a white cravat, black matching vest with embroidery, and his hair trimmed to be less shaggy, now neat and tidy.

Zhenya came down to him and stared at him before bowing deeply. Sidney did the same to him, bowing respectively before taking his arm and heading down to the dining room with him and sitting across from him at the shorter table, lit by candles.

Zhenya pulled his chair out for him and let Sidney sit before seating himself. He smiled as a crystal decanter filled with wine came to them, filling their glasses with the deep red drink. Sidney had never had wine like this before. It was sweet, but also bitter, tasting slightly floral and not like what he was used to at home.

Supper was a warm squash soup with roasted seeds and sage and a drizzle of cream on top, roasted beef with a shaved asparagus salad and mashed garlic potatoes, then a sweet custard and raspberry tart for dessert. The two of them carried on conversations about the books they’d read, the new story, the gardens outside, philosophy, seemingly anything.

When they were done, Sidney was led through a grand set of doors to a large, beautiful ballroom with a grand crystal chandelier lit with candles and a shining marble floor.

A group of instruments waited patiently in a nook of the room as Zhenya led him to the center of the floor.

“Do you dance?”

Sidney’s stomach sank. This is how he would embarrass himself isn’t it? “I uh… I’ve never had a chance to.”

He guessed Zhenya could tell he was nervous. He felt one of Zhenya’s hands cover his. “Don’t worry. Let me help. I know how and you learn things fast. It will be fun and easy.”

The gentleness in his tone and words made him calmer, the fear of embarrassment going away and trusting him.

The music began and Zhenya began to lead him in a simple waltz, back and forth in a square across the floor. As they continued, it got easier and Sidney found himself smiling and looking up at his partner instead of focusing on his feet. Eventually, it was almost like he had always known, waltzing with ease, not missing a step. He felt comfortable and safe, no longer afraid of embarrassment.

Some time later, he and Zhenya were sitting on a balcony, watching the moon and the stars.

“I wanted to thank you for tonight.” Sidney said, looking off. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more…”

“I wanted to. You didn’t have to.” Zhenya smiled, taking one of his hands between his larger. “Sidney? Are you happy here? Happy with me and everyone else?”

He wasn’t sure of how to answer. “Well, of course I am. The people here are kind to me. Kristopher, Marc-Andre, Catherine, Vero, the girls, Alex, Maxime, everyone. Even you after time. And you are kinder and you’ve become sweet… but…”

“But what?” Zhenya asked, holding his hand a little tighter, like he was trying to comfort him. “What is it? You can tell me.”

The younger sighed. “It’s just that… I wish I could see Mario again. I’ve never been away for so long. He’s all I had left. I miss him.”

He looked up to see Zhenya in thought.

“Come with me.”

Sidney grew confused as Zhenya got up from where they were. “What?”

“Come with me. Now. Trust me.”

Sidney was very curious but trusted him, following him to the west wing of the palace and to his room. He saw the king go to his dresser and take something from it.

The king returned, presenting Sidney with a beautiful silver mirror. “Take this.”

“A mirror?” Sidney picked it up gently, looking at the reflective face.

“It’s a gift the enchantress left me.” he said. “It’s my window into the world outside the gates. You ask it to show you what you want to see. A place, a person, it knows anything and everything.”

Sidney widened his eyes and looked at the mirror’s surface once more. “Show me Mario Lemieux.”

The mirror glowed gold as the surface rippled to show his caretaker, wandering through the woods on his own, calling for him, looking weak and without sleep. He was sick.

“Oh God.”

Zhenya peered over to look. “Where is he?”

“He’s in the woods. He looking for me. He’s sick. He’s on his own.” Sidney turned to him. “I need to get him! He’ll get worse! He’ll die out there on his own! Please!”

Zhenya looked at him with worry in his eyes, but something behind them. Sadness, perhaps. “Go. You need to go to him.”

Sidney looked at the mirror and back up to him. “I’ll come back, I promise.”

“No.” he put his hands on Sidney’s. “He won’t come here. If he won’t, then you need to go home. Take care of him.”

Sidney was confused. “But… I thought I was your prisoner…”

“You’re not my prisoner.” Zhenya assured. “You haven’t been my prisoner in a long time… I cannot force you to stay. I never could. I never really wanted to. Sidney, promise me to only come back if you really wish to. Until then or if you decide you don’t want to, keep the mirror if you wish to check on me and the others. Now go. He needs you. Go!”

Sidney clutched the mirror to his chest and ran to his room to change into his old clothes, the same blue vest and pants, the white blouse and the wool socks and simple leather shoes. He took a cloak from the hook and put it around his shoulders. He grabbed a cloth bag from a drawer and slipped the mirror inside before hurrying down and out of the palace to the stables for Phillippe. He saddled and bridled the horse before riding him through the frosted gardens and out the iron gates back into the forest.

It must have been hours before he found Mario, slumped against the side of a tree, exhausted and in a sweat, but still conscious. Sidney dismounted quickly and hurried to his side.

“Mario. Mario, it’s me. I’m here.”

Mario’s eyes opened weakly. “Sidney?” They then popped open. “Sidney!”

“Save your strength.” he urged, helping him up carefully and onto Phillippe’s back. “Here. Take this. He draped the warm cloak around his caretaker and continued on foot back home, using the mirror as a guide.

-

Sidney draped a cool cloth across Mario’s forehead. “You got lucky out there. You could have gotten a lot worse… You’ve got a fever and shivers. Summer fever like how I had last year, probably. I’m glad I found you when I did. Mario if you spent more time out there you could have caught something much worse-”

“How did you escape?” he asked hoarsely. “This must be a dream. You can’t be here with me.”

“I’m here, I promise.” he squeezed his hand gently. “I’m right here.”

“How did you escape?” he asked. “There’s no way you could have gotten out of there… You look so well. Aren’t you starving? Freezing? How are you-”

“I’m fine, Mario. You don’t need to worry.” the young man assured, helping him drink water Sidney fetched from the well under the moonlight. “I was well taken care of. I assure you this.”

“How?” he sounded mystified. “You were a prisoner. You were in that cell with that beast.”

“Easy, Mario. Please don’t work yourself up. Not in your state.” he pleaded. “He… He’s different now. He’s changed. Not just in thought. He’s had a change of heart.”

“A monster like that? Changed?”

Sidney nodded. “I promise it’s true. He’s kind and true now. He doesn’t lose his temper anymore, he laughs… he’s better.”

Mario furrowed his brows, pondering the situation. “So you’re saying that somehow this monster… became almost like human?”

“Well, he once was.” Sidney said. “He was cursed, Mario.”

“Cursed?”

Sidney nodded and hesitated for a moment before telling him all Zhenya told him that day in the library. He then told him of how he opened up to Sidney. And how Sidney did the same in return. Their conversations, life at the palace, the library as his gift to him. As he spoke, he realized how much he was missing it in that moment. As much as he missed home and Mario, he was missing the palace and everyone who lived within.

“It seems you made him have a change of heart.” Mario said, sounding as surprised as he could be. “But based on the way you talk, it’s almost as if you did too.”

“I’m…. well I’m unsure about it.”

“Unsure about what?” He asked. “The way you speak of him, it seems almost that you love him.”

“Well… I just might. But I don’t know. Even then, I don’t know if I would have the potential to help break the spell. He… I care for him. I do deeply. Very deeply, in fact. But I’m worried I’m not enough and he will tire of me. I’m worried he would not love me back.”

“Sidney,” the older man said, “I promise you that anyone who treats you like how he did after what happened and who makes you talk and talk like that… must be something very special. You should go back.”

“No, I can’t leave you.” Sidney said. “Not only do you need me, I made a promise to Zhenya.”

“To who?”

“Zhenya. Evgeni. That’s his name. I promised him I would come home and care for you and come back if I wanted to…. I want to.”

“Why didn’t you just take me to the palace?”

“He said you likely wouldn’t accept it given everything that happened to you. He didn’t want you upset and especially not upset with me. And he knew I missed home. So he let me come home. But I’m going to go back when you’re well.”

“But what if that’s not enough time?”

“It’ll have to be.” he sighed, going to make something easy for him to eat. He got the fire going and put some water in a pot with some cut oats for a porridge.

“How long were you out there?”

“I’ve been out there since this morning.” he said. “Maybe yesterday. I don’t know what time it is.”

“Likely yesterday at this point.” he set the pot on to boil and cook. “How is the village?”

“I wish I could say good.” he said. “Sidney I fear I’ve become an outsider.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The people in the village wouldn’t believe me when I asked them to help you find me. They whisper. Say I’ve lost my mind and gone mad. That you just ran off because I’m going senile. Some even think I killed you, I think.”

Sidney was shocked at this. “Why did you ask them? You know what they think of us.”

“I didn’t know what else to do.” he said. “I was scared he would kill you. Or that you would die.”

“Well, I’m here. And he certainly didn’t let either happen. Rest. Let me handle this.”

-

The next day went by easily. Sidney stayed at home, taking care of Mario. Making sure he ate and drank and slept. He made a medicine out of herbs they kept and lemon for his throat and another for the fever. Mario slept most of the day, giving Sidney time to clean the house and hide the precious mirror.

By evening, it was surprising how quiet the day was. No one coming by, no going into town, not even a knock. Sidney kept at the stove to cook a soup simple enough for Mario’s stomach for supper.

However, that changed quickly once it got dark.

A knock came finally once the sun set. Sidney got up and answered.

“Yes?”

In the doorway was a figure dressed entirely in black. “Good evening.”

“H-Hello. Who… What brings you here?”

“My name is Monsieur Therrien. I run the House of Saint Benedict.”

Sidney paled. “The madhouse.”

“If you wish to call it so.” he said, almost with a smirk on his lips. “We received many calls about concern for the elder resident here. So many so that we’ve come to the conclusion that he is a danger to himself and society.”

“W-what?!”

Monsieur Therrien motioned to the large crowd of people behind him. It seemed like almost the entire village was there, standing in a concerned mob, whispering amongst themselves as they stared at Sidney. He had been gone for so long and now came back out of nowhere, of course they would be. Especially after the alleged fuss Mario had made.

“No! I won’t let you! He’s sick, but not mad. Please!”

“Get out of our way, boy.”

Sidney tried to talk and plead with him when off to the side came a figure in red.

“Sidney? Is that you?”

He never thought he would be relieved to hear that voice. “Alexander, oh thank God, tell him he’s the one who’s mad.”

“Sidney where have you been? Everyone has been concerned for you. You went without a trace. We thought something horrible happened to you.”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s trying to tell me that Mario has gone mad. That he’s a danger to himself and the village, but he’s not. Please, you have to believe me.”

“Oh Sidney you know I do. But I do not think there’s anything I could do… Well, not unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless you agree to marry me.”

Sidney felt his stomach flip. He felt sick. Then he got angry. “What?!”

Alexander merely put his hand on him. “Agree to marry me and I’ll have them call it off. If not, they take him. Just one word, Sidney, and it will all be fine.”

Sidney shoved his hand off of him and pushed him back off his steps and into the front of the crowd. “You liar! You disgusting pig! You had something to do with this didn’t you?! You planned this so you would get me to marry you!”

“Sidney, come now. There’s no harm-“

“We must get going. It’s late and we don’t wish to leave my attendants at the mercy of the patients too long. Let us in the house to take him and we will be on our way.”

“No, I won’t let you!” The young man said, barricading himself in front of the door. “He’s not crazy!”

“Sidney, he’s been a mess for weeks.” Alexander sighed. “Came into the bar raving about a beast. About you locked in a dungeon in a palace. He brought me and Evgeny along to help find you and free you. But nothing. We were out there for 2 days. Right Evgeny?”

Sidney looked to the younger eastern man. He had to believe him. But Evgeny only looked at his feet and answered yes.

“See? Sidney, you know what to do.”

Sidney hurried into the house and into his room. He heard the front door break open and heavy boots thumping on the floor.

“Sidney!”

Sidney paled recognizing the voice of his caretaker and grabbed the mirror from its hiding place. “Wait!”

He ran out to see them forcing Mario out of the door and down the steps to the carriage. “No, please, I can prove it! He’s not crazy!”

“Sidney!”

Therrien sneered at him. “Oh give it up, boy!”

Sidney took the mirror and stared at his reflection in the silver surface. “Show me Zhenya!”

As the mirror glowed gold, a pair of strong hands took it from him. “What is this?”

“Alexander!”

He then saw his smug expression melt away as the monstrous face of his companion came on.

Monsieur Therrien looked upon it and gasped in horror. “Witchcraft! And a Monster!”

“Please, no! It’s not! That’s what he was talking about! He’s not crazy! That’s proof! Let him go!” Sidney begged. “And he’s not a monster! He’s kind! He has a soul! He’s very understanding and caring, I promise!”

“It sounds almost like you care for this demon! This beast has Sidney under his spell!” Alexander showed the mirror to the crowd, causing them to grow frightened and agitated, despite Sidney’s pleas to convince them of how Zhenya really was. They wouldn’t listen.

“We are not safe with this beast roaming around! Why, if he finds out village, we’re all surely doomed! Our children will be taken as tribute to satisfy his bloodlust and hunger! He will ravage our town! No one will be safe! I say we kill this beast!”

His words and demeanor alone seemed to rally the town. They left en masse to grab whatever they could to attack and shouting about how they would kill him, Alexander taking the magic mirror along with him.

Sidney and Mario were locked inside their house and Alexander had placed Evgeny and another on watch.

Sidney had fallen into a spiral of guilt, now crying at the edge of his bed.

“They’re going to kill him, Mario! They’re going after him! He’ll be dead soon! I know so! It’s all my fault!”

Mario placed his hand on Sidney’s shoulder to try to comfort him. “Sidney, he’ll find a way out of this.”

“He won’t.” He sniffled. “I don’t know how he could. The others maybe, but I’m scared for him, Mario.”

“I know you are. This is horrible. But there’s nothing we can do. We just have to… we’ll either wait it out or find a way out.”

“They likely have someone at the back and side as well and Evgeni is no fool, Mario. He’s doomed now.”

They sat in silence. When the villagers took off, they watched them march past their house in their mob towards the direction of the palace. Sidney only felt his heart sink more and more like a lead weight as each passed, clutching a torch and a pitchfork, sickle, scythe, anything they could get that they knew would cause significant harm or to even kill Zhenya.

“This is my fault.” he looked at the floor with tears in his eyes. “This is my fault. They’re going to go and kill him. I can’t go after them, they’re watching us. Even then, I would never be able to get there in time.”

“This isn’t your fault. It’s Alexander’s. He’s gone from doting and annoyance to full on madness himself. And he has the audacity to call me mad. He went from flowers and dance invites to trying to get me locked in the madhouse in the span of around 2 months.”

Sidney looked at him. “Two months?”

Mario shrugged. “Give or take. It’s almost August now.”

His blood ran colder. “Oh God. Even if I get there, it might be too late. The curse. His birthday is the end of July. If I don’t… If I don’t love him and he doesn’t love me by the time the last petal falls at sunrise on the start of his 21st year-”

“They’re stuck like that forever.” Mario looked out the window quickly. “If what you say is true, we’re running out of time and fast. That’s tomorrow. We’ve got until dawn to get you there.”

Suddenly they heard two thuds outside, one from the side and another from the front.

Sidney heard an urgent knock at the door.

Sidney carefully crept from the table and looked through the window. “What?”

He opened the door to find Evgeny standing there with Mr. Howe. “Evgeny?”

“I can’t let him do this.” he said. “He’s lost his mind. It’s gone by quickly and it’s scaring me. The fact that he did something like this to you is absurd. I tried to stop him when he first made the plan, but he wouldn’t listen. And I guess his pride got the better of him because he forgot about that and left me here to guard the house.”

“And I snuck to “guard” the back.” Mr. Howe said. “It was my idea to let you go. Seems Evgeny had the same idea. Glad no one expects an old bookworm like me. You need to go. If what you said is true and he’s not dangerous, an innocent… Whatever he is… could die.”

“He was a human. He was cursed. He’s not dangerous at all, I swear. I know him. If I get there in time, I can break the curse, but I have to be quick.” He noticed Phillipe was untied from his post and groaned. “Alexander took Phillippe! That little… How can I get there without a horse?”

Evgeny motioned to the side. Sidney peeked out the door to find Alexander’s stallion, grazing in the grass next to the house. “Alexander left his. I’m the only other one who can control him besides him. He does anything I say. If I say for him to trust you, he will.”

Sidney looked back into the house. “What about-”

Mr. Howe stopped him. “Let me take care of him. It’ll be alright. Just go.”

Sidney nodded and grabbed the cloak from the hook and made his way to the stallion with Evgeny.

-

The trek to the palace was long, but Alexander knew what he needed to do. If this is what was standing in the way of him and Sidney, then he needed to get rid of it, no matter the cost.

It took them hours before they passed into the snow and winter of the enchantress’ spell. The entire crowd buzzed and whispered about such weather in July.

“It’s that same witchcraft.” he mumbled to himself. He kept onwards, leading the charge.

As they passed through the gates, a strange feeling overcame him. He could have sworn he had never known this place was here, yet he felt almost like he had been here before.

The castle was dark, not a single torch or candle lit in any window. The grey stone was covered in a permanent frost, looming in front of them.

The doors to the palace opened simply. Everyone piled inside and out of the cold to find the foyer filled with different objects and furniture. It was dark aside from the torch lights they brought in.

Alexander walked further inside, scoping out the trinkets and treasures.

All of a sudden, all of the candles in the palace came on at once.

“NOW!”

Alexander ducked out of the way of a thrown object as the whole scene around him turned to a battlefield. The pieces all came to life and were now attacking his fellow villagers. He had to be dreaming, but then the rest of them would have had to as well.

Not wanting to risk getting hurt and missing out on his chance on taking down the beast, he fled the scene, exploring the palace for his target. Something about this place was so familiar yet so strange to him. But he couldn’t lost focus. Not when he was so close.

“Wherever you are, you are mine. I will find you, you freak. And once I take care of you, he’ll be mine.”

-

The stallion was indeed a fast and obedient one. Sidney rode him into the night in the direction of the palace. By the time he got there, it seemed as though a full on war was being waged inside.

“Oh God on High.” he dismounted the horse and ran inside through the open doors to find villagers against objects. People being pelted with saucers, living knives chasing people down through hallways, the curtains tying people up. People in turn were trying to swat them away with their hands, chasing down objects with their weapons and torches, it was a hellish sight. What had he gotten everyone into?

Sidney ran all around the castle to find any sign of Zhenya or Alexander. He ran to the library, but no one was inside. He ran to the greenhouse, but he wasn’t there either. Both were completely devoid of life.

Hurrying through the halls, he wandered upon his old room and found Vero, the girls, Catherine, and little Alex hiding from the battle. When they realized it was him and not an intruder from the village, they relaxed and hurried to him, happy to see him and worried about the state of what was going on on the floor below.

“Sidney!! Oh thank God you are okay!”

Alex hopped in his saucer. “He came back!”

Sidney nodded. “I am. Where is Zhenya?”

Vero’s large form waddle walked over to him. “We were so worried when you didn’t return! And now what is happening?! Kris and my Marc-Andre are fighting downstairs! We don’t know where they are or if they are safe!”

Estelle stayed with Scarlett in one of her mother’s drawers. “Where’s my papa?!”

“It’s my fault.” he said, guilt clear. “Zhenya let me go home. My caretaker was sick and lost. He needed me. I was going to come back when he was well or whenever I could, but there was a plan. That one from my village I told you about? Alexander? He tried to trick me into marrying him by threatening to have Mario put away in an asylum if I didn’t accept his proposal. They thought he was mad because he tried to get help to free me from here and from Zhenya, but no one believed him. I used the mirror to show them he wasn’t crazy or lying and Alexander decided he wanted to kill Zhenya, calling him a beast and a monster. It seems everyone agreed with him, no matter what I said to convince them otherwise. He took the mirror. It led them all here. This is my fault. I need to find him. I’m so sorry I got you into this mess. This is all my fault.”

Catherine scooted to him. “Sidney, this was not you. This was that man’s fault. Now, you need to go find him and Evgeni before it’s too late.”

“Where would he be?”

“Try the West Wing! His chamber! He has not left there all day!”

Sidney felt so stupid. Why didn’t he think of that?

“I’ll be back. Stay here, it’s much safer than down there.”

He ran down the hall and through the battles waging in the foyer and just about everywhere else. He made his way to the dark stairs of the west wing and climbed up with haste, hurrying down the hall until he heard grunts and sounds of struggle.

Sidney quickened his pace and turned the corner to Zhenya’s quarters, but no one was in the room. That’s when he realized it was from outside.

Sidney ran to the enclosed balcony doorway to see Zhenya lying on the ground, Alexander on his feet, walking around him.

“What’s the matter? Too weak and shameful? Or have you really gone all kind and soft like Sidney said?”

Zhenya groaned and lied there, holding his arm, now bleeding from a long gash.

“He’s mine, you know. Sidney. He has been mine, will always be mine, and you are nothing to him. Did you really think he would want you? When he had me all along?”

Zhenya remained on the ground, seemingly defeated despite the sheer difference in size and build between the two.

“Get up, you beast, and fight like a man. If you care for him so, prove it. Fight me!”

Sidney watched in horror, pleading silently for Zhenya to get up and fight back. Why wasn’t he doing anything?

It took what felt like forever until Zhenya looked to the bell jar-covered rose near the door, and that’s when he met eyes with Sidney.

Sidney motioned for him to stay quiet so Alexander wouldn’t know.

Sidney hoped that Zhenya would take that as a sign for him to get up and challenge him. Prove him wrong. Slowly but surely, he got up and began to fight back. 

Sidney watched carefully, hiding from view as Zhenya began to block Alexander’s arms to ward off his hunter’s dagger. Eventually he began outsmarting Alexander, kicking his legs out from under him, swinging his large paws and claws at him. He became relentless as anger flooded back in, leaving a pattern of scratches on Alexander’s arm in a hit to weaken him before leading him into the exposed portion of the balcony where the glass and cames and even the stone had broken off, leaving a massive hole in the side, dangling dangerously over the edge.

“Please, mercy.” Alexander looked behind him and began to tremble as he was cornered. “Please. Please, I beg of you! Mercy!”

Sidney could see the fear in Alexander’s face once he realized he was about to lose. As much as he hated Alexander, he couldn’t let him die. At least not this way.

“Zhenya stop!”

Both men turned to see him, out of the doorway and staring in shock.

Alexander stared, befuddled. “Sidney? You were-”

“Zhenya, please. This has gone far enough. Let him go. Let him go and go home to the village. He’s begging.”

Zhenya took one look at Alexander and backed off of him.

Alexander collapsed to his knees and got himself away from the edge quickly, panting as the rush wore off.

Zhenya made his way back to Sidney. “You came back.”

“I could never leave you.” Sidney swore, touching his hand to Zhenya’s face. “Especially not when I know this would happen. This was my fault. I tried to help Mario but instead I sent them after you. I never meant for this to happen. I’m so sorry.”

“Sidney, no. You came back to me.” he stared into his eyes. “Sidney, I-“

All of a sudden, Zhenya let out a pained gasp and a mighty roar before he collapsed in front of Sidney who caught him and held him as much as he could.

Alexander stood there, shivering, dagger in hand, with blood coming off the tip. Sidney stared at him in shock before he too collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

Sidney came to his knees trying to tend to Zhenya and stop the bleeding coming from deep in his side.

“No no no no no no no.” He shook. “No no no, please! I can help. We can stop this. I-I’ll get Catherine and the others. They can help. It’s going to be okay.”

“Sidney…”

Sidney sniffled and held one of Zhenya’s large hands between two of his. “Please, stay with me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving anymore. Please, stay with me. It’s going to be okay. I promise.”

“Sidney, please don’t cry… not your fault. Maybe it’s better this way.”

“How could it be better?” He sniffled, staring into his eyes. He looked to the rose in the jar, seeing one petal left standing as another floated down as the sky began to lighten slightly in the eastern distance. “Please don’t leave me. There’s still time. Please, Zhenya, I need you to stay.”

“At least I could see you again.” His large brown eyes began to drift close.

“Zhenya, no. Don’t. Please, Zhenya. Don’t leave. Not like this.”

Then his hand went limp.

Sidney paled. “No…. no no no, please. No, oh God, no!”

He began to weep bitter tears, sobbing over Zhenya’s figure, still holding his hand tightly.

“Please come back! Don’t leave me! Please, Zhenya, I love you. Please come back to me. Please!”

He continued sobbing and shaking, mourning the person inside who he had come to love, beastly appearance and all, as the last petal fell from the enchanted rose.

He loved him, but it was too late.

As he continued to cry, Sidney felt a warmth envelop his hand. The young man opened his teary eyes to find a soft light around Zhenya’s body. He sniffles and dried his eyes as the light lifted him up off the cold ground into the morning air. A warm golden glow surrounded Zhenya’s hand and Sidney could see through it as fur and claw were replaced by cream colored skin and nail. The same happened to Zhenya’s other hand. Then to his feet.

All around, this golden light was encircled his love before swallowing him whole, bathing him in the golden rays.

Sidney watched in amazement and wonder as the sphere broke, letting a figure gently fall back to the floor where Zhenya’s body once lay.

Sidney stared at the figure in shock before attempting to go near it, until it moved on its own with a husky groan.

Sidney backed away as the figure brought itself up, standing tall. He was dressed in the same clothes Zhenya was wearing. He saw it look at its hands, flexing the fingers as if to see if they worked and touching the smooth skin of his palms with his fingertips. All Sidney could do was stare as the figure then turned to him, revealing a handsome young man with a strong nose and soft dark hair.

He stared wide eyed at Sidney. “Sidney?”

Sidney stared in silence as he got up to his feet. The figure came closer to him.

“Sidney, it’s me. It’s Zhenya.”

Sidney stared at the figure, unsure of what to think until he met his eyes. Those same dark brown eyes from the portrait. The same ones he knew from moments ago, filled with warmth and love.

“Zhenya…” he stepped towards him. “Zhenya!”

Sidney threw his arms around him while Zhenya took him in his arms and held him tightly. “Never thought I would see you again. I thought that was it. I never thought I would be like this again. But you… you changed that!”

As sunrise came over the hills, there was a rush of footsteps towards the king’s quarters. The pair turned to find a group of men and women in servant clothes including three children.

“My Lord! Sidney!”

“Kristopher!” Zhenya hurries to them. “Marc-Andre! Catherine! Veronique”

Sidney couldn’t believe his eyes. Everyone who he had known as objects was now human.

A little boy ran up to him. “Sidney!”

Sidney widened his eyes. “Alex!” He picked him up. “Oh my, oh my God!”

“Sidney, you broke the curse!” Catherine hurried to him and hugged him tightly before kissing him on both cheeks. “You did it! You helped us all.”

“It wasn’t me. It was the both of us.”

Zhenya smiled softly. “So humble even still.”

Sidney smiled until they heard a groan from behind. Sidney turned quickly to see Alexander beginning to wake again.

“Where am I?” He got up and held his head. “The palace?” he looked to the group of people behind him and his eyes went wide. Oh dear, here we go.

He didn’t expect the next words from him, though.

“Zhenya?” he got up and stared at the king. “”What’s going on?”

Sidney looked at the taller. “You know him?”

“I… do.” he began to remember. “I just appointed him lead hunter. He was off on a hunt with Evgeny when this happened.”

Sidney made the connection. “Because he wasn’t inside the palace, he wasn’t turned. He forgot like everyone else.”

“What’s gone on?”

“We were cursed.” Zhenya said. “And you weren’t in it. So you forgot about us.”

Alexander’s face fell as he began to remember all that just happened. He dropped to his knee and bowed his head. “Oh God, my lord, your Majesty, I’m so so sorry. I had no idea, I’m so sorry.”

Zhenya took pity on the man. “Get up, Sasha. This is not your doing. It was the spell. I fought too. I almost led you to your death.”

“Well I tried to kill you as well.” he said, getting up from his knee. “I feel awful still. Please you must understand, I had no idea, but I still regret my actions.”

“I know. Consider it mutual.”

Alexander nodded and shook his hand. “Yes. Also if you are wondering, Evgeny is back in the village. We will go get him eventually… Is Nicky here?”

“Nicky?” Sidney thought for a second. “Do you mean Nicklas?”

“Yes!” Alexander’s eyes lit up. “He was a cook’s help in the kitchen! He was my sweetheart! Do you know him?”

“I do, I guess he’s likely still down there.” He then saw Alexander make a beeline out of the room and down the hall.

Zhenya chuckled to himself. “I almost forgot how much he loved him. He spent forever trying to see if Nicklas loved him in return. But he did.”

“That might make sense then.” the younger reasoned. “He was absolutely obsessed with trying to make me his. He said he felt lonely… That might be why. Without knowing it, he was missing Nicklas.”

“Likely so.” Zhenya smiled and turned to him. “You broke the spell.”

“Yes I did.”

“Does… Does that mean you love me?”

Sidney smiled and took his hand, cheeks turning pink. “I do. I love you. Do you love me?”

“More than you could know.” he grinned back. “Stay here with me. Rule with me.”

Sidney knew this was a big offer. Life as the king’s consort, living in court. All the duties and responsibilities. The eyes on him. “Are you sure?”

“Very.” He brushed his hair out of the way. “I want you to be with me always. Stay and be my consort.”

“What if I’m not fit for it?” Sidney looked down. “It’s no small job, Zhenya. I don’t want to fail.”

“Look at me, love.”

Sidney looked up at him to find a kind face ant those same eyes.

“If I had doubt, I would not have asked. You are kind, you are fair, you are wise, more knowledgeable than any I have met, and I love you. If anyone is capable of this, it’s you.”

Sidney smiled, feeling the fear and doubt leave him. “Yes.”

-

Their wedding was a beautiful spectacle that next spring, full of flowers and dancing with the village, the servants, and many aristocrats all in attendance. As much as they wanted to hurry, they knew it was important to help re-learn the kingly duties and for Sidney to learn the responsibilities of a king.

The ceremony was as beautiful and meaningful as it was long with heartfelt vows of love, religious and local traditions, and the exchanging of the rings as well as Sidney being named Zhenya’s official consort all in one.

The reception was an event for the ages for the palace all on its own with grand food, a beautiful group of live musicians, speeches, and dancing into the early hours of the morning. The two grooms were dressed sharply in matching white dress clothes with golden crowns atop their heads. 

Zhenya led him in dancing as usual, happy as Sidney was to be married and dancing with the person he loved over an arrangement. Sidney knew he was happy for letting go of the sins of his father to start his own path as a righteous, kind, and fair king, ruling side by side with him. It caused him to smile to himself as he rested his head on his husband’s broad chest, swaying back and forth with him.

They went on to have many children, all bright and bold, taught to be just as fair in judgement and kind in heart as their fathers and ready to rule or do whatever else they set their hearts to or wherever fate took them. Each night, they would bring their large gaggle of children into the library to hear Sidney read them stories until it was time for bed, even if some begged to continue.

The two kings went on to rule over a long age of prosperity for the kingdom. The people were happy, the kingdom was safe and fortunate as it had ever been, and all was well as they aged together before they, satisfied with what they had done, left the throne to their eldest child and then lived the rest of their happy lives together in the palace, happily ever after.

The End


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And here it is! Last one which I think is rather adorable. Decided to make a little twist with this one. I thought it was really cute to put this in and connect it back to the real-fake world. But if you don't like it, then put the comments down below and I'll remove it. You guys are the ones I serve.

“Please daddy! I want another one!”

“Sorry, sweetheart.” He got out of the little chair carefully. “But the rules are that bedtime is 8:30. And it’s already five minutes past. You need to go to bed.”

“But I want to hear another prince story.” He pleaded, giving him the big brown puppy eyes that usually Sidney would fall for, but not tonight.

Sidney smiled and kissed his son’s forehead. “You need to go to bed.”

The little boy pouted. “But I’m not tired!”

Sidney shook his head. “You will be, Niki. and we have to be up early tomorrow, remember? So you need to go to bed.” He reaches for the lamp and turned it off, leaving the room in darkness apart from the little nightlight in the corner and the plastic glow in the dark stars and planets on the ceiling. “Sweet dreams, sweet boy.”

The child huffed and wished his dad a good night before curling up in his blankets. Sidney hummed to himself and went to him and his husband’s room to find his husband reading with his glasses on. He looked up at him and smiled softly.

“Is he sleep?”

“Barely.” Sidney took off his regular clothes and put them in the hamper before putting on an old Pens t-shirt and deciding to stick with his boxer briefs and getting ready for bed.

“What story tonight?”

“A little rendition of _Beauty and the Beast_.” he said. “He loved it.”

Geno hummed in approval and went back to his book.

“He’s very stubborn.” He mentioned once he spit out his gargle. “Took me a full few minutes tonight to get him to go to bed after the story finished. Doesn’t even count how long it took to convince him that teeth brushing is mandatory.”

He could hear his husband chuckle. “Gets it from you.”

Sidney shot him a look of doubt through the mirror. “Oh really?”

“Yes yes, gets it completely from you. You stubborn as mule. Makes sense why he gets that way.”

“Oh like you’ve never been stubborn Mr. “I need to get very specific kind of broth and brand of sour cream for dinner or else it not taste good and then go to 4 different stores looking for them”.” He smiled and turned off the light before heading to bed. “Keep in mind, he’s biologically yours. If he gets it from anyone, it’s definitely you.”

Geno put his book down and his glasses back in the case before turning on his side to watch his husband get into their bed. “You just as important to him. You his daddy. I’m papa.”

“I know I am.” He smiled and curled up next to him. “Never doubted that.”

“Good. Never should doubt. Always true.”

Sidney smiled and kissed his husband, letting the world melt away for a moment.

He pulled away and touched his forehead to his. “I love you.”

“Love you most.” He smiled and kissed his head. “Should get to bed early. Have to get flight tomorrow. Need to be up at 5:00. Need to wake Niki at 5:30. Can’t be late. You like your beauty sleep. So beautiful you don’t need it, but I’m can’t stop you.”

Sidney smiled. “Again, you have no room to talk there either.”

He then turned over and switched off the lamp before heading back to his husband’s arms and into a deep sleep.


End file.
